Best Pokemon Starters

[Raven]

Bulbasaur

Cyndaquil

Treecko

Turtwig

Edited December 11, 2008 by Raven

[Starwolf_UK]

When i'm doing a normal playthrough I always pick the grass starter for some reason.

As far as speedruns go I've only attmepted on two of the games (well three if you count Fire Red as a different game) but here goes:

Red/Blue: Squirtle. Learns its required move for Brock at the lowest level (it learns Bubble before Bulbasaur gets Vine whip), grab mega punch in Mt Moon (was it?) for Misty, learn dig for Lt.Surge, grab Ice Beam for Erika. The traditional thing to do is get Zapdos for someone else to beat the Elite 4 with. I can't remember the times I managed but I think it was about 3 hours for both versions. Fire Red has Mega Punch as a tutor move which is good but you have to get Ice Beam and Thunderbolt (Shock Wave is rubbish with a basic Zapdos vs. Elite 4) from the Game Corner which eats up about 10 miuntes it might have been quicker not to get Thunderbolt.

In the case of Yellow, Nidoran Male evolved to Nidoking is the route to go and also learn TMs Nidoking can use most of them.

Ruby/Saphire. I didn't finish but I went with Torchic due to good selection of moves and Focus energy for criticals I suppose Dire hit does the same thing. Mudkip is your other viable choice.

[Seph]

I chose Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil and Mudkip.

[DeSu]

Charmander

Totodile

Treeko

Chimchar!

[¬_¬]

I'm torn between Treeko and Mudkip, I used them both equally, but my last Ruby file I went Mudkip, so I chose that.

Same between Cyndaquil and Totodile, water again.

Squirtle for the majority of first generation, Charmander coming in second.

And Turtwig for D/P because everyone went Chimchar. I don't blame them, he's an amazing wallbreaker as a mixed sweeper.

[Liz]

All fires baby!

i like my flames!

:P

Chimchar is the cutest pokemon starter, too!

[bunny: spider bitten]

The Water starters are normally the best, iirc.

Um. . . No. Statistically, they're actually more along the lines of the worst. All good in theory, but each easily replaceable, if only because there are more water pokemon than there is water in some regions.

Unless you're Swampert, then it's just gg.

The issue is that fire is a crap type. Otherwise they'd be pretty dominant. I mean, what type isn't super effective against Charizard? Grass? lol.

But lolmetagame.

[Defeatist Elitist]

Um. . . No. Statistically, they're actually more along the lines of the worst. All good in theory, but each easily replaceable, if only because there are more water pokemon than there is water in some regions.

Unless you're Swampert, then it's just gg.

The issue is that fire is a crap type. Otherwise they'd be pretty dominant. I mean, what type isn't super effective against Charizard? Grass? lol.

But lolmetagame.

YES! Water starter's are usually BAAAAAAAAAD, although D/P saved Feraligatr by actually giving him Attack based STAB. But you basically said it all. It's kind of sad, I love the fire type, but it kind of sucks. :(

[AceNoctali]

As for me, it would be :

* Charmender

* Cyndaquil

* Treecko

* Chimchar

3rd Gen's starters are all very good and I love them all, it was hard to decide. But since I like Mudkip a bit less than the other two, and since Infernape is overall better than Blaziken, I'd say Treecko in the end for 3rd gen.

[Ragnell]

I agree that the water types are a bit weaker statistically. But I still use them because A.) I've always used the water type B.) You can catch a flying type early on in every game to counter your rival's grass type and C.) The recent water 3rd evolutions (Empoleon + Swampert) have been combo types that usually have a good second type to back them up.

And I love Feraligatr, he was the main Pokemon I always played S/G/C with. Aaaaaah. Good memories.

[Kiba]

*Charmender

* Cyndaquil

* Torchic

*and whatever the grass one was for diamond

[Starwolf_UK]

I feel sorry for the person in that suit

[dondon151]

Bulbasaur (in RBY Venusaur got an amazing Razor Leaf and double powder, while the others got... nothing. Even in later generations Venusaur at least made it out of UU)

Cyndaquil (these all suck but Typhlosion is my favorite =X)

Mudkip (great typing and stat distribution for Swampert)

Chimchar (rapes lots of things but dies if touched)

[Ether]

Fire types plz...

"reach out and torch someone"

[Mufasa]

To be honest, I can't stand Chimchar. He ruined the whole tradition of me picking fire types. Plus he turns out like blazekin, fighting and fire. But Blazekin looks way cooler.

When it comes to pokemon, it's more about aesthetic appeal for me rather than overall usefulness. Hence why I had a Furret in my final team for Gold.

This is making me want to play pokemon though. Using the original 3 starters. *Goes to play Ruby emulator. With Action replay hacking prowess.*

Here's how the starters break down for me.

Fire:

Charmander>Torchic>Cyndaquil>>>>>>>>>Chimchar

Water:

Squirtle>Piplup>Totodile>Mudkip

Grass:

Bulbasaur>Treeko>Turtwig>Chikorita

Chimchar is my least favorite of all the starters. Plus Piplup ends up water and steel type. And Steel types are awesome.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Lyle Dayek

[DeSu]

I feel sorry for the person in that suit

HILARIOUS!

To be honest, I can't stand Chimchar. He ruined the whole tradition of me picking fire types. Plus he turns out like blazekin, fighting and fire. But Blazekin looks way cooler.

Infernape looks damn cool. Blazekin is so-so.

[riariadne]

piplup is quite easily worst of the 3 dp starters.

Lets take the three fully evolved starters and give them 1 move for each of there types.

Infernape- Flare Blitz, close combat

Torterra-Leaf Storm, earthquake

Empoleon-Hydro Pump, flash cannon

Infernape can take down torterra with fare blitz and empoleon with close combat.

Torterra can take out both Infernape and Empoleon with earthquake

Empoleon can take down infernape with hydro pump but will lose to torterra.

using this logic, i am the best at pokemon on my street when i actually play.

and i have darkrai, so stay back!

Edited December 14, 2008 by SunMoonSky

[_____]

Wait, wut. The starters will probably never face each other, so that's not an accurate way to say who's the best.

[Solanum Tuberosum]

Charmander

Mudkip

Totodile

???

[Krevin]

In-game RBY: Blastoise > Venasuar > Charizard

Metagame RBY: Venasuar > Charizard > Blastoise

In-game GSC: Feraligatr > Typhlosion > Meganium

Metagame GSC: Meganium > Typhlosion > Feraligatr

In-game AND Metagame RSE: Swampert > Sceptile > Blaziken

In-game DPPt: Infernape > Empoleon > Torterra

Metagame DPPt: Infernape > Torterra > Empoleon

In-game DPPt, Infernape is the only decent fire pokemon, and fire pokemon prove more useful than ever what with a grass gym, a steel gym, AND an ice gym. In-game for all four gens treat the water-starter like a god because you can't always make room for a good surfing pokemon. Metagame placement was based off tiers. When two pokemon appeared in the same tier, it was generally obvious which one was better.

Infernape- Flare Blitz, close combat

Torterra-Leaf Storm, earthquake

Empoleon-Hydro Pump, flash cannon

Thats not a fair argument at all. Give 'em their full movesets and have it compared to the standards:

Torterra's most common moveset:

~ Wood Hammer

~ Earthquake / Stone Edge

~ Leech Seed

~ Stealth Rock / Protect

@Leftovers

Infernape's most common moveset:

~ Flamethrower / Fire Blast

~ Close Combat

~ Nasty Plot

~ Grass Knot / Hidden Power Ice

@Life Orb

Empoleon's most common moveset:

~ Agility

~ Surf / Hydro Pump

~ Ice Beam / Grass Knot

~ Substitute

@Petaya Berry

Now, since you seem to be most focused on having them face eachother, Empoleon's STAB'd Surf gets SE against Infernape, and Ice beam hits Torterra pretty hard, and both of them have Empoleon's high SA stat boosting their power. Infernape's Flamethrower takes out Torterra in 2-3 hits (OHKO if he's had time to use Nasty Plot), and Close Combat takes a strong toll on Empoleon. Torterra's Earthquake gets STAB and SE on the both of them. Based on your argument, they all counter eachother pretty well. Infernape wins, though, because of his type coverage and ability to sweep.

Edited December 14, 2008 by ­­­­

[Sealed Roy]

Squirtle

Totodile

Mudkip

Piplup

I like the Water starters. :F

[Starwolf_UK]

Bulbasaur (in RBY Venusaur got an amazing Razor Leaf and double powder, while the others got... nothing. Even in later generations Venusaur at least made it out of UU)

Yeah high critical moves were just insane in RBY the critical chance was the speed stat and for some reason with high critical moves it multiplied this and so anything with something like a base speed of more than 70 would critical every time with those moves...

[Zanarkin]

I feel sorry for the person in that suit

Lol wtf but turtwig is awesome

i wish i had a DS.

[Doom103]

Bublasaur

Totadile

Treko

Turtwig

[Defeatist Elitist]

In-game RBY: Blastoise > Venasuar > Charizard

Metagame RBY: Venasuar > Charizard > Blastoise

I disagree. While Venasaur is a great Pokemon, and probably more powerful than Charizard NOW, the RBY Metagame was ruled by Pyschics, back when they where crazy powerful, and being part Poison was like being dead. :P

Edited December 15, 2008 by ZXValaRevan