Let's be real for a second. If you’re booting up SoulSilver in 2026, you’re probably doing it for the nostalgia, the following Pokémon, or because you realized modern games just don't have that Johto grit. But man, the level curve in this game is absolutely brutal. You’ve probably felt it—that sudden wall where your starter is struggling and the wild Pokémon are ten levels lower than the next Gym Leader.
Choosing the best pokemon in soulsilver isn't just about picking your favorites. It’s about survival. It’s about not getting wiped by Whitney’s Miltank or Clair’s Kingdra. Honestly, most people just grab whatever they find on Route 30 and hope for the best. That’s a mistake. To actually dominate Johto (and then Kanto), you need a team that covers for the game’s weird quirks, like the physical/special split that happened in Gen 4.
The Starter Dilemma: Totodile or the Rest?
I know, I know. Cyndaquil is the "cool" choice. Fire types are rare in Johto, and Typhlosion is a Special Sweeper beast. But if we’re talking about the absolute best pokemon in soulsilver for a smooth run, it’s Totodile. Basically, Feraligatr became a god in this generation because moves like Waterfall and Ice Fang finally became physical.
Think about it. In the original Gold and Silver, Feraligatr was stuck using its mediocre Special Attack for Water moves. In SoulSilver? It’s a wrecking ball. You get access to Crunch, Ice Fang, and Waterfall—all of which play into its massive Attack stat. Chikorita is... well, it’s a challenge mode. If you want to struggle against the first two gyms and the entire Elite Four, go for it. Otherwise, stick to the croc or the fire badger.
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The Early Game MVPs You Usually Ignore
Most players rush to Goldenrod City and ignore the goldmine sitting right under their noses. You need an Electric type. You just do. The amount of Flying and Water types in this game is annoying.
Mareep is Basically Mandatory
You can find Mareep on Route 32, right after the first gym. Catch it. Don't think, just catch it. Ampharos is slow as a snail, yeah, but its Special Attack is monstrous. It’s one of those reliable anchors that stays on your team until the literal end of the game at Mt. Silver. Plus, it gets Signal Beam later on, which helps with the pesky Grass types that usually wall Electric mons.
The Heracross Secret
Want to know what the pros do? As soon as you get the TM for Headbutt in Ilex Forest, go back to Azalea Town and start hitting trees. Heracross is a 1% to 10% encounter depending on the tree, but it is hands down one of the best pokemon in soulsilver.
- Attack: 125 base power.
- Moves: It learns Brick Break and Aerial Ace early.
- Utility: It single-handedly deletes Whitney’s Miltank and half of the Elite Four.
Seriously, if you are struggling with that cow in Goldenrod, a Heracross with Brick Break is the "delete" button you've been looking for.
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Why Crobat is Better Than Pidgeot (Sorry, Not Sorry)
We all love Pidgeot because of the anime, but in SoulSilver, Pidgeot is kind of mid. Its stats are balanced, which in Pokémon terms means "not particularly good at anything."
Zubat, on the other hand, is a nightmare to train until level 13 when it finally gets Bite, but once it becomes Crobat? It’s a different game. Crobat is one of the fastest things in Johto. With the friendship mechanic, you can have a fully evolved Crobat by the time you're hitting the fourth gym. Its typing (Poison/Flying) gives it a 4x resistance to Fighting and Bug moves, which is huge for some of the mid-game boss fights. Honestly, once you go Crobat, you never go back to the bird.
The Gift Pokémon Strategy
SoulSilver is weirdly generous with gift Pokémon if you know where to look. You don't always have to wander through tall grass for hours.
- Kenya the Spearow: Go to the gate north of Goldenrod. A guard gives you a Spearow to deliver a letter. Don't deliver it yet. This Spearow, named Kenya, has a boosted XP gain because it's a "traded" Pokémon. It levels up way faster than your team, making it a perfect early-game carry.
- Bill’s Eevee: Once you meet Bill in Ecruteak, go back to his house in Goldenrod. He gives you an Eevee. In SoulSilver, you should almost always go for Espeon. Psychic is still a top-tier offensive type in this game, and Espeon’s Speed and Special Attack make it a prime candidate for the best pokemon in soulsilver roster.
- The Red Gyarados: It’s a free Shiny at level 30. Even if you didn't pick Totodile, this thing is your Water-type savior. Give it Dragon Dance and Waterfall. It can literally solo Lance if you set it up correctly.
Complexity and Late Game Reality
Let's talk about the level gap. When you finish the Johto gyms, your team might be level 40. The Elite Four starts in the mid-40s and ends with Lance’s level 50 Dragonites. Then you go to Kanto, and the wild Pokémon are level 15. It’s a mess.
This is where "good" Pokémon start to fall off. If you don't have a plan for Red at the very end—who has a level 88 Pikachu—you’re going to spend hours grinding. This is why you need high-stat monsters like Mamoswine (Piloswine + Ancient Power). Mamoswine is an absolute "Dragon Slayer" for the late game. Ice Shard (priority) and Earthquake (STAB) make it a nightmare for the AI to handle.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you want the "optimal" experience without feeling like you're cheating, follow this blueprint for the best pokemon in soulsilver team:
- Secure your core early: Catch Mareep on Route 32 and Headbutt for Heracross in Azalea. These two handle 70% of the game.
- Abuse the Friendship mechanic: Walk around with your Zubat or Eevee at the front of the party. Use the hair cutter brothers in the Goldenrod Tunnel. Getting a Crobat or Espeon early is a massive power spike.
- Save your TMs: Don't waste your best moves (like Shadow Ball or Thunderbolt) on temporary members. Check the Move Tutor in Frontier Access (post-game) or Goldenrod Game Corner.
- The Mamoswine Prep: Catch a Swinub in the Ice Path. You’ll need a Heart Scale to teach it Ancient Power so it can evolve. Don't skip this; you'll need its Ice typing for the final battle against Lance and eventually Red's team.
Johto is a slow burn. It’s not meant to be rushed. But by picking the right tools—the Pokémon that actually benefit from the Gen 4 mechanics—you turn a frustrating grind into a victory lap. Stick to the heavy hitters, watch your type coverage, and for the love of Arceus, catch a Heracross.
Next Steps for Your SoulSilver Journey: Focus on your team's physical/special split. Check your Pokémon's summary page; if a move has a "burst" icon, it's physical. If it has "concentric rings," it's special. Matching these to your Pokémon's highest stats is the single biggest way to increase your damage output without leveling up.