Special
Sweeper
520High
115Fast
STier

Ghost moves don't affect Starmie at all — that's the advantage of Water/Psychic typing. It comfortably outruns most offensive threats. An original Gen 1 pick. Comfortably outruns most offensive threats.

The stat budget goes to damage. Speed and Sp. Atk carry the offense, HP doesn't even come close. A Mysterious Pokemon on a slow 1.25M XP grind, worth 2 Speed EVs per KO.

Base Stats
520High
HP60
C
Attack75
C
Defense85
C
Sp. Atk100
B
Sp. Def85
C
Speed115
B
Total520
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Starmie yields +2 Spe
HPAtkDefSpASpDSpe+2
Details
Catch60Challenging•Slow1.25M XP•1.1m / 3'07"•80kg / 176.4 lbs•182Base XP
Pokedex Entries

The center section is named the core. People think it is communicating when it glows in 7 colors.

Yellow

Starmie Weakness

Excellent

Electric and Grass-type moves hit Starmie for super-effective damage. The upside? Ghost-type moves can't touch it at all. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. With 60 HP and balanced defenses, Starmie can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Gen I Type Chart
  • 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
4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
ElectricGrass
½xResisti
FireWaterIceFightingPsychic
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
Ghost
STAB (5)i
FireGroundRockFightingPoison
2Weak
5Resist
1Immune
Scorei+4
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
IlluminateDoubles the wild encounter rate.
Natural CureCures any major status ailment upon switching out.
AnalyticHAStrengthens moves to 1.3× their power when moving last.

You get Starmie from Staryu using a Water Stone. This Water/Psychic-type hits 520 total stats and can't produce eggs. HP grew the most through evolution (+30 over Staryu), and Starmie peaks at 520 total stats.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Staryu
#120Staryu
Water Stone
Starmie
#121Starmie
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Staryu
Water
Starmie
WaterPsychic
HP
30
60+30
ATK
45
75+30
DEF
55
85+30
SP.ATK
70
100+30
SP.DEF
55
85+30
SPE
85
115+30
BST
340D-Tier
520A-Tier+180
ROLE
Balanced
Sweeper
TYPE
Special
Special
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

The recommended build leans into Starmie's strengths as an attacker. An item provides extra utility, and flexible EVs EVs back that up. An ability rounds out the package.

Best Build

Support
Ability
Not in Gen 1
Item
Not in Gen 1
Nature
Not in Gen 1

Best Starmie Moveset

  • RecoverRecovery
  • Thunder Wave
  • BlizzardCoverage
  • PsychicSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Tauros
TaurosGood
Snorlax
SnorlaxGood
Chansey
ChanseyGood

Level-up moves are just the starting point for Starmie. TMs unlock Normal and Ice coverage and turn a straightforward STAB kit around Hydro Pump and Psychic into something with actual range.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Harden
——30Normal
Lv 1
Tackle
3510035Normal
Lv 1
Water Gun
4010025Water

TM Moves

Src
TM34
Bide+1
——10Normal
TM14
Blizzard
110905Ice
TM11
Bubble Beam
6510020Water
TM32
Double Team
——15Normal
TM10
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
HM05
Flash
—7020Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM13
Ice Beam
9510010Ice
TM31
Mimic
——10Normal
TM29
Psychic
9010010Psychic
TM46
Psywave
—10015Psychic
TM20
Rage
2010020Normal
TM33
Reflect
——20Psychic
TM44
Rest
——10Psychic
TM40
Skull Bash
10010010Normal
TM50
Substitute
——10Normal
HM03
Surf
9510015Water
TM39
Swift
60—20Normal
TM09
Take Down
908520Normal
TM30
Teleport-6
——20Psychic
TM25
Thunder
1107010Electric
TM45
Thunder Wave
—10020Electric
TM24
Thunderbolt
9510015Electric
TM06
Toxic
—9010Poison
TM49
Tri Attack
8010010Normal
TM12
Water Gun
4010025Water

Egg Moves

Starmie doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Starmie can't learn any Tutor moves

Reminder Moves

Src
Rem
Hydro Pump
120805Water
Rem
Light Screen
——30Psychic
Rem
Minimize
——20Normal
Rem
Recover
——20Normal
Rem
Swift
60—20Normal

Can't catch Starmie directly. Start with Staryu at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 2-stage line from Staryu to Starmie is where the leveling time goes.

How to Obtain Starmie in Yellow

The path to Starmie starts with Staryu at Lv. 5-40 via fishing and surfing encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.

  1. Staryu
    Step 1Catch Staryu
    Pallet Town
    Super RodLv.5-10CommonEarlyCity
    EASY
    Vermilion City - Harbor
    Super RodLv.15UncommonEarlyCity
    MODERATE
    Route 19
    Super RodLv.20CommonMidRoute
    EASY
    Route 21
    Super RodLv.20CommonMidRoute
    EASY
    Seafoam Islands - B4F
    Super RodLv.20-40CommonMidWater
    EASY
    Seafoam Islands - B3F
    Super RodLv.20-40CommonMidWater
    EASY
    Seafoam Islands - B4F
    Surfing on waterLv.30CommonMidWater
    EASY
    Seafoam Islands - B3F
    Surfing on waterLv.30CommonMidWater
    EASY
    Route 20
    Super RodLv.30UncommonMidRoute
    MODERATE
  2. Starmie
    Step 2Starmie ✓

  • Natural Cure changes the entire equation for Starmie. The 520 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked S-Tier as a sweeper.

  • Watch for Raikou (Electric) and Venusaur (Grass) when using Starmie. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

  • Staryu evolves into Starmie using a Water Stone. Starmie is the fully evolved form. At 520 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Base 115 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Starmie is a special attacker with base 100 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a sweeper.

  • Starmie appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.

One of the original 151, Starmie has appeared in 20 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.