
Is Staryu Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
Status heals automatically when Staryu switches out thanks to AbilityNatural Cure. AbilityIlluminate raises wild encounter rate, which you don't want. Starmie at Water Stone is one of the best Pokemon in FRLG. Staryu is the brief bridge to get there.
Staryu resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.
Misty's typing presses Staryu's defenses.
Staryu trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Erika's Pokemon outpace and outclass Staryu here.
Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Starmie resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Starmie resists most of Giovanni's coverage and hits back hard.
Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.
Starmie resists most of Bruno's coverage and hits back hard.
Starmie resists most of Agatha's coverage and hits back hard.
Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Lance's team.
Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Terry's team.
Catch Staryu on Pallet Town (Super Rod fishing, Lv 15-25, common).
- After Misty
- TM03WaterWater Pulse90100%20
- LV 28WaterBubble Beam98100%20
- After Erika
- TM24ElectricThunderbolt90100%15
- After Koga
- HM03WaterSurf135100%15
- After Sabrina
- TM29PsychicPsychic90100%10
- LV 46WaterHydro Pump16580%5
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- HM07WaterWaterfall120100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
You can buy the Water Stone at the Celadon Department Store on the 4th floor (₽2,100). 1 other location is also available.
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- TM13IceIce Beam90100%10
- TM24ElectricThunderbolt90100%15
- After Sabrina
- TUTORPsychicDream Eater150100%15
- TM29PsychicPsychic135100%10
- After Koga
- HM03WaterSurf135100%15
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- HM07WaterWaterfall120100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
How to Get Staryu in FireRed & LeafGreen
LeafGreen exclusive, Super Rod only. Staryu has seven fishing encounters at common rates across six water spots.
Wild Staryu may be holding when caught:
6 locations to catch Staryu
Encountered via fishing with a Rod
Where To Catch Staryu in FRLG
Staryu is your first catch on the way to Staryu. You'll find fishing encounters from Lv. 15-25 across 7 total spots in the chain.
Step 2Evolve into StarmieBREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Four Island Pokemon Day Care to receive a Starmie egg. Requires the Rainbow Pass to access Four Island.
Staryu Weakness
Staryu is weak to Electric and Grass. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Only 2 weaknesses makes it relatively easy to build around defensively.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Staryu Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Staryu
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Trapinch can KO Staryu with Earthquake (120-142%). Houndour's Crunch hits Staryu for 47-55%.
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityArenatrap ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Staryu View Trapinch builds →Earthquake120-142%KO Rock Slide90-106%KO | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityEarlybird ItemLeftovers NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Staryu View Houndour builds →Pursuit23-28% Fire Blast32-38% Crunch47-55% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLightningrod ItemThickclub NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Staryu View Cubone builds →Bonemerang27-32% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityEarlybird ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Staryu View Doduo builds →Drill Peck79-93% Double Edge118-139%KO | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityBattlearmor ItemLum Berry NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Staryu View Anorith builds →Rock Slide53-63% Rapid Spin36-42% | ||
Staryu Evolutions
Evolving Staryu into Starmie takes an evolution item. It's not a simple level-up, so check the chain details below. Evolving adds up to 180 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Staryu is genderless and can only breed with Ditto. Part of the Water3 egg group.
FRLG Staryu Best Moveset
85 Speed and 70 Sp. Atk previewing Starmie's power, with AbilityNatural Cure clearing status on switch-out. One evolution from one of the format's best movesets.
Best Build
Staryu best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Recover
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
- Hydro Pump
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Staryu develops a solid moveset just through leveling. Hydro Pump and Blizzard show up naturally, and the progression handles both STAB and utility without leaning on TMs for the core attacks.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It appears in large numbers by seashores. At night, its central core flashes with a red light.
An enigmatic POKéMON that can effortlessly regenerate any appendage it loses in battle.
Staryu FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
- Should I evolve Staryu early or late?
Wait until Staryu reaches Lv. 46 before using the Water Stone. Evolving earlier permanently locks Staryu out of Bubble Beam, Cosmic Power, and Hydro Pump, moves Starmie cannot relearn.

- Lv. 28learns Bubble Beam
- Lv. 42learns Cosmic Power
- Lv. 46learns Hydro Pump
- Lv. 46+Use the Water Stone
- How do I evolve Staryu into Starmie in FireRed & LeafGreen?
- Is Staryu exclusive to LeafGreen or FireRed?
Staryu is exclusive to Pokemon LeafGreen. FireRed players have to trade for one.

See the Locations section above for where to find Staryu in LeafGreen.
How to trade in FireRed and LeafGreen
GBA cartridges: You need a Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable and both players' FireRed/LeafGreen cartridges. Trade at the Cable Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, which opens up shortly after Oak gives you the Pokedex.Nintendo Switch (2026 release): Trading uses local wireless only. There is no online play, and no Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required. Both players head to the Pokemon Wireless Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, then step into a Union Room. Up to four other players can join. Available once you have the Pokedex from Professor Oak.
Game Availability
Staryu has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut

Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS

Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORAS

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM

Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV

Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW

Winds & Waves