Mid-stage Pokemon like Bulbasaur rarely see competitive play outside of special formats. It's a waypoint on the road to Venusaur, which is where the real potential kicks in. An original Gen 1 pick. Watch the Bug matchup though — quadruple damage means one hit can end it.
An unusually even spread gives Bulbasaur flexibility. Sp. Atk barely edges ahead. But HP isn't far off. Tough to catch and follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve. Yields 1 Sp. Atk EV.
It can go for days without eating a single morsel. In the bulb on its back, it stores energy.
Bulbasaur Weakness
FragileBug, Fire, Ice, Flying, and Psychic-type moves hit Bulbasaur for super-effective damage. Bug hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
You'll evolve Bulbasaur into Venusaur the traditional way. This Grass/Poison type doesn't breed despite having a chain ahead. The evolved forms gain up to 207 total stats over Bulbasaur.
How to Evolve
The recommended build leans into Bulbasaur's strengths as a setup attacker. An item provides extra utility, and flexible EVs EVs back that up. An ability rounds out the package.
Best Build
Best Bulbasaur Moveset
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Body Slam
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Level-up moves are just the starting point for Bulbasaur. TMs unlock Normal coverage and turn a straightforward STAB kit around Solar Beam and Razor Leaf into something with actual range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
No searching required for Bulbasaur. You receive it at Cerulean City from an NPC. No wild encounters exist in this game, so just head to the right spot when you're ready and it's yours.
Best Locations
Bulbasaur is meant to evolve into Ivysaur. At 318 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Watch for Pinsir (Bug), Arcanine (Fire), and Lapras (Ice) when using Bulbasaur. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Pinsir is the most dangerous since Bug moves deal 4x damage. Flying and Psychic-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur at level 16. Bulbasaur is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Base 45 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Bulbasaur is leaning toward the special side (base 65 Sp. Atk). Defensively? Fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Bulbasaur appears in 21 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
One of the original 151, Bulbasaur has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A