Every Generation's Best Starter Pokémon: Expert Analysis And Picks

Laila Abdi

4 min read

Post on May 14, 2025

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Kanto (Generation I) - The Classic Choice

The Kanto region, home to the very first Pokémon games, offers a classic trio of starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Let's analyze each one:

Bulbasaur: Grass/Poison type advantages and disadvantages

• Strengths: Bulbasaur boasts excellent early-game survivability thanks to its dual typing. Grass/Poison provides a strong defensive foundation, resisting Water and Ground attacks common in the early game. Access to powerful Poison and Grass moves offers offensive versatility.
• Weaknesses: Vulnerability to Fire and Flying types presents a significant challenge, particularly in the early stages of the game.
• Evolution Line: Ivysaur and Venusaur offer increased stats and powerful moves, including powerful STAB (Same-type attack bonus) moves like Solar Beam and Sludge Bomb. However, Venusaur still retains the weaknesses of its pre-evolutions.
• Overall Effectiveness: Bulbasaur's balanced approach makes it a solid choice throughout Kanto, but its early-game vulnerabilities need careful management.

Charmander: Fire type's strengths and weaknesses

• Strengths: Charmander's offensive power shines from the very beginning. Its Fire-type attacks deal significant damage, proving particularly effective against Grass-type opponents prevalent early in the game.
• Weaknesses: Significant weakness to Water and Ground types can make certain battles challenging, especially against Brock's Rock-type Pokémon.
• Evolution Line: Charmeleon and Charizard, are powerful offensive Pokémon, with Charizard being a fan favorite and a powerful force. However, the Fire/Flying dual typing doesn't improve the Ground-type weakness.
• Overall Effectiveness: Charmander's aggressive playstyle is effective but requires strategic planning to overcome its type weaknesses.

Squirtle: Water type's strengths and weaknesses

• Strengths: Squirtle provides consistent offensive presence thanks to its Water-type moves, which are highly effective against many early game opponents. Its defensive capabilities are also quite good.
• Weaknesses: Squirtle is vulnerable to Electric and Grass-type attacks.
• Evolution Line: Wartortle and Blastoise offer significant boosts in defense and access to powerful Water-type moves. Blastoise is a particularly sturdy tank.
• Overall Effectiveness: Squirtle's reliability and defensive capabilities make it a consistently strong performer throughout Kanto.

The Verdict:

For Kanto, Squirtle emerges as the best starter. Its consistent offensive pressure, coupled with strong defensive capabilities and favorable matchups against several key opponents, provide a smoother path to victory.

Johto (Generation II) - Expanding the Options

Johto introduces a new set of compelling starter Pokémon: Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile.

Chikorita: Grass type's strengths and weaknesses

(Analysis similar to Kanto starters, focusing on type matchups relevant to Johto's gym leaders, like Falkner and Bugsy)

Cyndaquil: Fire type's strengths and weaknesses

(Analysis similar to Kanto starters, focusing on type matchups relevant to Johto's gym leaders)

Totodile: Water type's strengths and weaknesses

(Analysis similar to Kanto starters, focusing on type matchups relevant to Johto's gym leaders)

The Verdict: (State the best Johto starter and justify the choice)

(Repeat this structure for Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar, each with its own H2 heading and analysis of the respective starters, focusing on regional context.)

Factors Considered in Our Analysis

Our selection process for the best starter Pokémon in each generation is based on several key factors:

Type Matchups

Understanding type effectiveness is crucial. A starter's type advantages and disadvantages heavily influence its performance against specific gym leaders and wild Pokémon prevalent in each region.

Movepools

A comprehensive movepool offers strategic versatility. A starter with access to a variety of effective moves can adapt to different battle situations and overcome a wider range of opponents.

Evolutionary Lines

The evolution line is vital. Analyzing how a starter's stats and movepool change through evolution is crucial to determining its overall long-term effectiveness.

Overall Game Utility

Beyond battles, a starter's practical application in navigating the region, traversing terrain, and participating in other in-game activities, must also be taken into account.

Conclusion

Our analysis has revealed a compelling case for each generation's top starter Pokémon, considering type matchups, movepools, evolutionary lines, and overall game utility. We’ve highlighted the key strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, providing a comprehensive guide for players choosing their first partner. Remember, the "best" starter is ultimately subjective. What's your best starter Pokémon and why? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! Let's discuss your preferred starter and debate the ultimate starter Pokémon!