Selecting your first partner isn't just a game mechanic. It's a personality test. Since 1996, when players first sat in Professor Oak’s lab staring at three flickering sprites, the debate over which starter Pokemon and evolutions reign supreme has raged in schoolyards and on Reddit threads alike. Honestly, it’s about more than just stats or type advantages. It’s about that weirdly emotional bond you form with a digital creature that stays in your party from Route 1 to the Hall of Fame.
Most people think Charizard is the undisputed king because of nostalgia and those fancy Mega Evolutions, but if you look at the competitive meta or even just speedrunning efficiency, the "cool" choice isn't always the "best" choice. Kinda wild when you realize how much the design philosophy has shifted from the chunky, naturalistic monsters of Kanto to the more humanoid, "job-themed" starters of the Galar and Paldea regions.
The Kanto Classics: Where the Obsession Started
Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. These are the blueprints. If you pick Charmander, you're signing up for a brutal early game against Brock and Misty. It’s basically "Hard Mode." But then you get Charizard, a Fire/Flying powerhouse that, despite not being a "real" Dragon-type until it Mega Evolves, has dominated the franchise’s marketing for decades.
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Bulbasaur is actually the smart play for a Kanto run. It resists the first two gyms and has a high Special stat in the original Red/Blue/Yellow games. Ivysaur and Venusaur might not be as "flashy" as a fire-breathing lizard, but a Sleep Powder and Solar Beam combo is objectively terrifying. Then there’s Squirtle. Wartortle has those cool ears and a tail that looks like crashing waves, but Blastoise is where things get serious with the pressurized water cannons. It’s a tank. Literally.
Johto and the Tragedy of the Grass Type
Gen 2 introduced a weird balancing act. Chikorita is arguably the most difficult starter to use in the entire series. It’s a pure Grass-type in a region where the first two gyms (Flying and Bug) have a massive advantage over it. Bayleef and Meganium are adorable, sure, but they’re defensive-leaning in a game that rewards aggressive hitting.
Contrast that with Cyndaquil. It stays a pure Fire-type through Quilava and Typhlosion, but its base stats are actually identical to Charizard’s. It’s a glass cannon that works. Then we have Totodile. The transition from Croconaw into Feraligatr is one of the most satisfying "ugly duckling" stories in Pokemon. Feraligatr became a true monster once the "Physical/Special Split" happened in Gen 4, allowing it to actually use its massive Attack stat with moves like Waterfall and Ice Punch.
Hoenn and the Rise of the Secondary Typing
Hoenn changed the game by giving us the first Fire/Fighting starter in Blaziken. Before the internet hated that trope, Blaziken was a revelation. It evolved from Torchic and Combusken into a high-speed, high-offense bird that could kick your teeth in. It even landed in the "Uber" competitive tier for a while because of its Speed Boost ability.
- Treecko: The cool loner. It becomes Grovyle—made famous by the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series—and eventually Sceptile. It’s the fastest Grass starter and stays that way for a long time.
- Mudkip: The meme king. But memes aside, Mudkip evolving into Marshtomp and Swampert creates a Water/Ground beast with only one weakness: Grass. In a region filled with Surf HM routes, Swampert is basically a cheat code.
The Sinnoh Powerhouses
Sinnoh is often cited by hardcore fans as having the most balanced trio. Turtwig becomes Grotle and then Torterra, a massive "World Turtle" that gains the Ground typing. Chimchar evolves into Monferno and Infernape, another Fire/Fighting type but with a much more "Sun Wukong" inspired design.
Piplup is the fan favorite, though. Prinplup is a bit awkward, but Empoleon? A Water/Steel penguin based on Napoleon Bonaparte? That’s peak design. The Steel typing gives it a ridiculous number of resistances, making it a nightmare to take down in the original Diamond and Pearl or the Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl remakes.
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Unova and the "Humanoid" Shift
This is where the fan base started to split. Snivy (the "Smugleaf" of the internet) becomes Servine and Serperior. It’s elegant and has the Contrary ability, which is broken if you can get it. Tepig starts cute but turns into Pignite and Emboar—the third Fire/Fighting starter in a row. People were tired of the combo by then, honestly.
Oshawott starts as a sad little sea otter, becomes Dewott (the coolest middle stage ever?), and ends as Samurott. It’s a samurai sea lion. While the design is cool, many fans were confused why it went from standing on two legs to four. It’s these little design choices that keep the Pokemon community arguing for years.
Kalos and the Greninja Phenomenon
If you didn’t pick Froakie in Gen 6, did you even play? Frogadier and Greninja redefined what a starter could be. Greninja’s "Protean" ability allowed it to change its type to whatever move it was using, making it a competitive god. It even got a special "Ash-Greninja" form.
Chespin (Chesnaught) and Fennekin (Delphox) sort of got left in the dust. Delphox is a Fire/Psychic wizard, which is a cool concept, and Chesnaught is a Spiky Shield tank. They aren't bad; they just weren't "Greninja."
Alola and Paldea: The Modern Era
In Alola, the designs got even more thematic. Rowlet becomes Decidueye (a ghost archer), Litten becomes Incineroar (a heel wrestler), and Popplio becomes Primarina (a siren). Incineroar has since become the most used Pokemon in competitive VGC history. If you watch a pro tournament today, you will see Incineroar. Its Intimidate ability and access to Fake Out make it an annoying, indispensable utility player.
Then we hit Galar with Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. Rillaboom (the drummer), Cinderace (the footballer), and Inteleon (the secret agent). These designs are very "human-in-a-suit," which some people hate, but you can't deny their power. Rillaboom’s Grassy Glide was so oppressive it had to be nerfed.
Finally, Paldea gave us Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.
- Meowscarada: A Grass/Dark magician that hits like a truck with Flower Trick.
- Skeledirge: A Fire/Ghost crocodile with a literal songbird on its nose. It’s incredibly tanky.
- Quaquaval: A Water/Fighting peacock that dances. It’s polarizing, but its signature move boosts its speed, making it a late-game sweeper.
Why Your Choice Changes the Game
The math of Pokemon starters is surprisingly deep. Game Freak usually balances them in a "Rock-Paper-Scissors" triangle, but secondary types like Dark, Ghost, or Steel break that triangle in fascinating ways. For example, Empoleon's Steel type makes it neutral to Grass moves, even though Water should be weak to them.
When picking, don't just look at the cute first stage. Look at the final evolution's hidden ability. A regular Quaquaval is okay, but a "Moxie" Quaquaval is a monster. A regular Venusaur is fine, but a "Chlorophyll" Venusaur in the sun is a speed demon.
How to Optimize Your Starter Choice
If you're jumping into a new playthrough or revisiting an old one, follow these steps to ensure you don't end up with a team that hits a brick wall at the fourth gym:
- Check the Gym Lineup: If the first three gyms are strong against your starter (looking at you, Chikorita), make sure you have a plan for early-game captures to cover your back.
- Look for Dual Typing: Starters that gain a second type upon evolution are almost always more versatile. Swampert (Water/Ground) or Infernape (Fire/Fighting) offer much better coverage than pure types.
- Hidden Abilities Matter: If you’re playing a version where you can get Hidden Abilities (like through patches or special events), always aim for them. Abilities like Libero, Grassy Maker, or Speed Boost turn a B-tier Pokemon into an S-tier threat.
- Balance the Team: Don't pick a Fire starter and then catch three more Fire types. Your starter should be the "core" around which you build a diverse group of types.
Ultimately, every starter and its evolution line is "viable" for a standard playthrough. The games are designed so you can win with your favorites. But understanding the stat spreads—like how Sceptile is a Special Attacker despite having blades on its arms, or how Incineroar is built for support rather than raw speed—will save you a lot of frustration in the long run. Go with your gut, but keep a Rare Candy or two handy just in case.