Best Starter Pokemon: Comparing Every Generation
Asking for the best starter Pokemon starts more arguments than almost any other question in the series. Here is an honest look at the data: final evolution stats, typing, and how each pick performs in its own game.
First, the honest truth: any starter clears the game
Every starter is designed to carry you through its campaign. They evolve twice, learn strong same-type moves on schedule, and reach fully evolved base stat totals in a tight band, roughly 525 to 535. No starter is a trap pick. The real differences come from typing against that game's gyms, how early the line hits its power spike, and how easy it is to cover its weaknesses with teammates. That last part matters most, and it is exactly what a team builder helps you see before you commit.
How final evolutions stack up on paper
Base stat totals barely separate starters. What separates them is where those points sit and what their typing does in their home region. A few reference points:
| Final evolution | Typing | BST | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swampert | Water/Ground | 535 | One weakness (Grass), highest starter BST |
| Infernape | Fire/Fighting | 534 | Fast mixed attacker, two great offensive STABs |
| Charizard | Fire/Flying | 534 | Strong special offense, iconic for a reason |
| Empoleon | Water/Steel | 530 | Unique typing with excellent resistances |
| Skeledirge | Fire/Ghost | 530 | Bulky special attacker, superb in Scarlet and Violet |
| Greninja | Water/Dark | 530 | Speed plus Protean flexibility (hidden ability) |
Notice how close the numbers are. A 535 versus a 525 is a rounding error compared to typing and movepool. Check any matchup yourself on the type chart or run real numbers in the damage calculator.
Standouts worth highlighting
The Mudkip line (Gen 3). Once Marshtomp picks up the Ground type, the line has exactly one weakness: Grass, which hits for quadruple damage but is easy to plan around. Water/Ground gives an Electric immunity and Rock coverage, which lines up beautifully against Hoenn's early gyms. Bring one Grass answer and Swampert is nearly unpunishable.
The Chimchar line (Gen 4). Infernape gets dual STAB in Fire and Fighting, two of the best offensive types in the game, plus the Speed to use them first. In Diamond and Pearl, where strong Fire types are scarce, Chimchar is arguably the practical pick.
The Fuecoco line (Gen 9). Skeledirge trades Speed for bulk and a Fire/Ghost typing with three immunities counting its Normal and Fighting immunities from Ghost. Its signature move Torch Song raises Special Attack as it attacks, so it snowballs through Tera Raids and the campaign alike.
Honorable mentions. Blaziken shares Infernape's Fire/Fighting combination, Empoleon's Water/Steel typing piles up resistances, and Greninja became a competitive icon thanks to Protean changing its type to match each move it uses.
Judge a starter in its own game, not in a vacuum
A starter's real report card is its home region. Torterra looks slow on paper, but Grass/Ground handles several Sinnoh gyms well. Charizard's Flying typing is a liability against Rock but a blessing against Ground moves. Serperior has a thin movepool in a vacuum, yet Contrary Leaf Storm (its hidden ability turning stat drops into boosts) made it genuinely dangerous later on. Before crowning a winner, ask: what does this typing do against the gyms, rivals, and league of the game I am actually playing? If you plan to play ranked doubles afterward, the answer changes again, and our VGC section and VGC beginners guide cover that world.
Building the rest of your team around your starter
Whichever starter you pick, the process afterward is the same:
1. List its weaknesses. Pick a Fire starter and you are weak to Water, Rock, and Ground from turn one. Look the types up on the type chart.
2. Cover them with your next two catches. A Water or Grass teammate patches a Fire starter's problems immediately. Aim for teammates that resist what your starter fears.
3. Check offensive coverage. Run your picks through the type coverage tool to spot types none of your moves hit hard.
4. Fill roles, not just types. A fast attacker, something bulky, and a utility Pokemon round out most campaign teams. The full method is in our how to build a Pokemon team guide.
The fastest way to do all four steps at once is to drop your starter into the team builder and watch the weakness summary update as you add teammates.
So which starter should you pick?
If you want the safest statistical pick, Mudkip's line is hard to argue with. If you want tempo and offense, Chimchar. If you are playing Scarlet or Violet, Fuecoco is the community favorite for good reason. But the honest answer is that the best starter Pokemon is the one whose weaknesses you actually plan around. Pick the one you like, then build the other five slots properly: start with our team building guide, and if you are heading toward competitive play, learn how natures and EV training squeeze more out of any starter you choose.