Is Charmander Good in Gold & Silver Playthrough?
Trade-only from Red, Blue, or Yellow. Johto has Cyndaquil as a native Fire starter that fills the same early-game role. Charmander is a luxury import, not a necessity.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Falkner's team.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Bugsy's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Chuck's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Pryce's team.
Clair's Pokemon outpace and outclass Charmander here.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Janine's team.
Misty's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Brock's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Blaine's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Blue's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Will's team.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Bruno's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Karen's team.
Lance's Pokemon outpace and outclass Charmander here.
Trade
Charmander cannot be caught in this game. It must be traded in from a compatible game where it appears in the wild. Cross-region trading typically becomes available after defeating the Elite Four.
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 180Accuracy 85%PP 5Goldenrod Game Corner
- TM48FireFire PunchPower 113Accuracy 100%PP 15Goldenrod Department Store
- TM02NormalHeadbuttPower 70Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a man in Ilex Forest
- TM28GroundDigPower 60Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- After Morty
- HM04NormalStrengthPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Olivine City
- LV 31FireFlamethrowerPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15
- After Jasmine
- TM23SteelIron TailPower 100Accuracy 75%PP 15Prize for defeating Jasmine
- LV 37NormalSlashPower 70Accuracy 100%PP 20
How to Get Charmander in Gold & Silver
Charmander never spawns in the wild here. Oak gives it as one of his three Kanto starters once you beat the Elite Four, and the other two are locked out unless you trade or breed.
How to Obtain Charmander in GS
- Step 1Charmander ✓LATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Gift · Pallet Town · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Gift · Route 24. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Gift · Pallet Town · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Pallet Town · Gift from Professor Oak (post-Red). Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom X & YNot TradeableAppears in X & Y via Gift · Lumiose City · Gift from Professor Sycamore. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon via Walking · Route 3 · Island Scan; Sunday. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
- Step 2Evolve into Charmeleon
- Step 3Evolve into Charizard
How to Get Shiny Charmander in Gold & Silver
Charmander is missing from Gold and Silver right from the start, as Johto leaves the Kanto fire starter off its lineup, so any shiny has to be traded in from a game that gives one out. See every game where Shiny Charmander can be hunted
Charmander Weakness
Charmander is weak to Water, Ground, and Rock. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Standard number of weaknesses for the Fire typing.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
- Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
What is Charmander Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Charmander
 Marowak Ground | B | |
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Vaporeon builds →Hydro Pump 2x224-263%KO Mud-Slap 2x19-23% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Rhydon builds →Earthquake 2x240-283%KO Rollout 2x73-87% Surf 2x58-69% | ||
 Suicune Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Suicune builds →Surf 2x150-177%KO Dig 2x61-72% | ||
 Tyranitar RockDark | S | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Tyranitar builds →Rock Slide 2x185-217%KO Earthquake 2x164-194%KO Surf 2x104-123%KO | ||
 Donphan Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Donphan builds →Earthquake 2x224-263%KO Rollout 2x46-54% | ||
 Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodIlex Forest Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Golduck builds →Hydro Pump 2x197-233%KO Dig 2x66-78% | ||
 Slowbro WaterPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodSlowpoke Well Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Slowbro builds →Surf 2x163-192%KO Earthquake 2x101-119%KO | ||
 Azumarill Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Mt Mortar Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x109-129%KO Rollout 2x24-28% Mud-Slap 2x16-19% | ||
 Feraligatr Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Feraligatr builds →Hydro Pump 2x170-200%KO Earthquake 2x133-156%KO | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter | ||
 Nidoking PoisonGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Nidoking builds →Earthquake 2x194-229%KO Surf 2x96-113%KO | ||
 Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Sandslash builds →Earthquake 2x191-225%KO Rollout 2x39-46% | ||
 Dewgong WaterIce | C | |
Charmander Evolutions
Three stages ahead. Charmander grows into Charmeleon, then pushes on to Charizard. Check the evolution methods below. For breeding, average hatch time with a small partner pool via two egg groups. Evolving adds up to 225 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Charmander easily with 13 breeding partners from the Dragon and Monster egg groups. Pass egg moves like Ancient Power, Beat Up, Belly Drum and 3 more to offspring.
GS Charmander Best Moveset
Fire-type pre-evolution, two stages from Charizard's improved competitive standing. The stats can't power MoveFire Blast meaningfully at this level.
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Fire Blast
- Belly Drum
- Rock Slide
- Return
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Egg moves make a real difference. Charmander can get Ancient Power and Beat Up through breeding, which widens what its kit can do. Coverage across 8 types rounds out the picture alongside Fire Blast and Flamethrower.
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.
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
24 of 28 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
The flame on its tail shows the strength of its life force. If it is weak, the flame also burns weakly.
The flame on its tail indicates CHARMANDER’s life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly.
Charmander Gold & Silver Guide
In Gold & Silver, Charmander has 309 BST and evolves into Charmeleon. Compare the two forms before you give either one a team slot.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Charmander 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.
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 7Let's Go
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
Explore
Where to go next after Charmander.
Keep playing · Gold & SilverGold & Silver Tier ListThe best Pokemon ranked tier by tierSee Gold & Silver Tier List