Is Charmander Good in Ruby & Sapphire Playthrough?
Trade from FireRed or LeafGreen. Hoenn has Torchic as a native Fire starter. AbilityBlaze is standard for both lines. Charizard adds Flying sub-typing that Blaziken trades for Fighting, which gives each a different role if you somehow have both.
Roxanne's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Brawly's team.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Wattson's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Flannery's team.
Norman's typing presses Charmander's defenses.
Winona's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Tate & Liza's typing presses Charmander's defenses.
Wallace's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Sidney's team.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Phoebe's team.
Charmander has the type edge here and should clean up Glacia's team.
Drake's team hits Charmander's weaknesses hard.
Charmander trades roughly evenly with Steven's team.
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 Wattson
- HM04NormalStrengthPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Rusturf Tunnel
- After Flannery
- TM50FireOverheatPower 210Accuracy 90%PP 5Prize for defeating Flannery
- LV 31FireFlamethrowerPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15
- After Norman
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 180Accuracy 85%PP 5Lilycove Department Store
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 115
- After Tate & Liza
- TM31FightingBrick BreakPower 75Accuracy 100%PP 15Sootopolis City
- After Wallace
- TM23SteelIron TailPower 100Accuracy 75%PP 15Meteor Falls
- TM02DragonDragon ClawPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Meteor Falls
How to Get Charmander in Ruby & Sapphire
Charmander has zero encounters in Ruby and Sapphire, and Hoenn does not offer it as a starter. A trade from another game is the only route in.
How to Obtain Charmander in RS
- Step 1Charmander ✓CARTRIDGE TRADEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenAvailableCatch in FireRed & LeafGreen via Gift · Pallet Town · Starter Pokémon, then trade to the current game via link cable.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 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.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee via Gift · Route 24 · 50 Pokémon caught. 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 Ruby & Sapphire
Charmander never turns up in Hoenn, so take it as your Pallet Town starter in FireRed or LeafGreen, resetting until it sparkles, then trade it back. 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
What is Charmander Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Charmander
 Swampert WaterGround | S | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Mudkip (Route 101 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Swampert builds →Earthquake 2x207-244%KO Surf 2x144-169%KO Rock Tomb 2x69-82% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Rhydon builds →Earthquake 2x240-283%KO Rock Tomb 2x121-142%KO Surf 2x58-69% | ||
 Flygon GroundDragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Flygon builds →Earthquake 2x191-225%KO Rock Tomb 2x64-76% | ||
 Walrein IceWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Spheal (Shoal Cave Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Walrein builds →Surf 2x156-185%KO Earthquake 2x106-126%KO Rock Tomb 2x54-64% | ||
 Donphan Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Donphan builds →Earthquake 2x224-263%KO Rock Tomb 2x75-88% | ||
 Camerupt FireGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Camerupt builds →Earthquake 2x191-225%KO Rock Slide 2x96-113%KO | ||
 Azumarill Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Petalburg City Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Azumarill builds →Hydro Pump 2x137-162%KO Dig 2x46-54% Rollout 2x24-28% | ||
 Sandslash Ground | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Sandslash builds →Earthquake 2x191-225%KO Rock Tomb 2x64-76% | ||
 Ludicolo WaterGrass | C | |
 Graveler RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Graveler builds →Earthquake 2x183-215%KO Rock Tomb 2x93-110%KO | ||
 Pelipper Water | C | |
Obtain MethodDewford Town Surfing Available Move Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Pelipper builds →Hydro Pump 2x197-233%KO | ||
 Regirock Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 111 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Regirock builds →Earthquake 2x127-150%KO Ancient Power 2x116-137%KO | ||
 Armaldo RockBug | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Anorith (Rustboro City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Armaldo builds →Earthquake 2x154-182%KO Ancient Power 2x140-165%KO Water Pulse 2x52-62% | ||
 Claydol GroundPsychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Charmander View Claydol builds →Earthquake 2x144-169%KO Ancient Power 2x58-68% | ||
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 decent 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 27 breeding partners from the Dragon and Monster egg groups. Pass egg moves like Ancient Power, Beat Up, Belly Drum and 5 more to offspring.
RS Charmander Best Moveset
Fire pre-evolution with AbilityBlaze boosting Fire moves at low HP. Stats too low for the boost to matter before going down. Charizard is the competitive destination two evolutions away.
Best Build
Charmander best EVs are Speed and Sp. Atk
Utility Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Dance
- Double Edge
- Dragon Claw
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Egg moves make a real difference. Charmander gets Ancient Power and Beat Up exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 8 types rounds out the picture alongside Overheat and Fire Blast.
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
All 23 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when CHARMANDER is enjoying itself. If the POKéMON becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
Charmander Ruby & Sapphire Guide
No. Charmander isn't catchable in Ruby & Sapphire. Pick it as your starter in FireRed or LeafGreen, then trade it over.
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 · Ruby & SapphireRuby & Sapphire Tier ListThe best Pokemon ranked tier by tierSee Ruby & Sapphire Tier List