Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur: Settling the Ultimate Pokémon Starter Debate

The age-old question! Which is the best starter Pokémon from the Kanto region: Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur? There’s no single correct answer; it depends on your play style, your goals, and frankly, your personal preference. However, considering overall usefulness, game balance, and accessibility for new players, Bulbasaur often emerges as the strongest choice. Its early advantages provide a smoother start to the Pokémon journey, making it a top contender for the title of “best.”

A Deep Dive into the Kanto Starters

The first generation Pokémon games (Red, Blue, and Yellow) presented players with a pivotal choice right at the beginning: a fire-type Charmander, a water-type Squirtle, or a grass/poison-type Bulbasaur. Each Pokémon offered a unique path through the game, with varying levels of difficulty and advantages against specific opponents.

Analyzing Charmander

Charmander, the fire-type Pokémon, is often chosen due to its popularity and the iconic status of its final evolution, Charizard. However, it presents the steepest learning curve for new players.

• Pros: Charizard’s powerful fire and flying type combination makes it a formidable late-game attacker. It learns many powerful offensive moves, making it great for aggressive players. Also, Charizard’s dual-typing allows it to learn a larger set of moves, adding to its competitive advantages.
• Cons: Charmander struggles significantly in the early game. It’s weak against the first two Gym Leaders: Brock (Rock-type) and Misty (Water-type). Finding effective counters early on can be challenging. Charmander also has the lowest base stats of the three starters, making those early battles even tougher.

Examining Squirtle

Squirtle, the water-type Pokémon, provides a more balanced experience. Its final evolution, Blastoise, is a reliable defensive powerhouse.

• Pros: Squirtle excels against Brock’s Rock-type Pokémon, making the first gym relatively easy. Blastoise boasts high defense and special defense stats, making it a durable tank in battle.
• Cons: While effective against Brock, Squirtle faces more challenges against Lt. Surge (Electric-type) and Erika (Grass-type) later in the game. Its overall offensive potential is less pronounced than Charizard’s.

Understanding Bulbasaur

Bulbasaur, the grass/poison-type Pokémon, is widely considered the easiest starter for beginners due to its early-game dominance and strategic advantages. Its final evolution, Venusaur, is a well-rounded Pokémon with access to powerful status moves.

• Pros: Bulbasaur decimates the first two Gym Leaders, Brock and Misty. Its dual-typing gives it an edge against a wide range of early-game encounters. It has the highest initial stat total compared to Charmander and Squirtle. The Pokemon is immune to poisoning. Venusaur’s access to moves like Sleep Powder and Leech Seed offers tactical advantages in battles.
• Cons: Bulbasaur’s effectiveness diminishes somewhat in the later stages of the game, facing challenges against Blaine (Fire-type) and the Elite Four’s Lorelei (Ice-type) and Agatha (Ghost/Poison-type).

Why Bulbasaur Often Wins

While personal preference is a significant factor, Bulbasaur’s early-game strength makes it a practical choice for new players. It allows you to progress smoothly through the initial challenges, building confidence and understanding the game’s mechanics. Bulbasaur can beat Brock and Misty. And cut a path through Moon Mountain like a lawnmower.

Ultimately, the “best” starter is subjective and depends on individual play styles and preferences. However, for new players seeking a smoother and more accessible introduction to the world of Pokémon, Bulbasaur stands out as a strong and reliable choice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Kanto starters:

1. Which starter has the highest base stat total? Bulbasaur has the highest base stat total initially, followed by Squirtle, then Charmander.

2. Which starter is the most popular? Charmander is arguably the most popular, largely due to Charizard’s iconic status.

3. Which starter is best for a beginner? Bulbasaur is generally considered the best choice for beginners due to its early-game advantages.

4. Is Charizard a good Pokémon? Yes, Charizard is a powerful Pokémon with a strong offensive presence, especially in later stages of the game.

5. Is Blastoise better than Charizard? In terms of type matchups, Blastoise has an advantage. However, Charizard boasts higher speed and offensive stats, making it a potent attacker.

6. Which is the weakest Kanto starter? Charmander faces the most challenges early on due to its weaknesses against the first two Gym Leaders.

7. Does Bulbasaur remain useful throughout the game? While its dominance wanes somewhat in the late game, Bulbasaur/Venusaur still offers strategic advantages with status moves like Sleep Powder.

8. What are the final evolutions of the Kanto starters? Charmander evolves into Charmeleon, then Charizard. Squirtle evolves into Wartortle, then Blastoise. Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur, then Venusaur.

9. Which starter is the fastest? Charizard, Squirtle, and Venusaur have base speeds of 100, 78 and 80 respectively.

10. Why do people choose Charmander? People choose Charmander due to its powerful evolution, Charizard, and its potential for aggressive offensive strategies.

11. Are all three starters viable options? Yes, all three starters are viable choices, depending on your play style and how you build your team around them.

12. Which starter is more defensive? Squirtle is more defensive. Squirtle is more defensive.

13. Which is better Charizard or Venusaur? Charizard would easily win if the trainer were evenly skilled. Charizard’s two types are both super effective against Venusaur so any fire or flying type move would easily demolish the Venusaur.

14. Where can I learn more about game-based learning? You can explore resources and research at the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

15. Can I trade Pokémon to get all three starters? Yes, trading is a key feature in the Pokémon games, allowing you to obtain all three starters by trading with other players.