27 startersGen 1-9Updated Nov 3, 2026

All Starter Pokemon by Generation

Nine generations have given you 27 starter Pokemon, always one Grass, one Fire and one Water. Gen 3, 4 and 5 all finish their Fire line as Fire/Fighting. Some games drop the usual trio. Yellow and Let's Go set your starter for you, and Legends: Arceus mixes three regions.

All starters

All Pokemon Starters: Types and Evolutions

Each released line shows the Pokemon you pick and every evolution after it, with the games that offer that trio as your first choice. Only Bulbasaur and Rowlet start with two types, and all three final evolutions stay single-type in just Gen 2 and Gen 8.

All starter Pokemon by generation
Generation and gamesgrassfirewater
Gen 1 Kanto Red & Blue, FireRed & LeafGreen
  1. Bulbasaur Grass Poison
  2. Ivysaur Grass Poison
  3. Venusaur Grass Poison
  1. Charmander (Best starter in FireRed & LeafGreen) Fire
  2. Charmeleon Fire
  3. Charizard Fire Flying
  1. Squirtle (Best starter in Red & Blue) Water
  2. Wartortle Water
  3. Blastoise Water
Gen 2 Johto Gold & Silver, Crystal, HeartGold & SoulSilver
  1. Chikorita Grass
  2. Bayleef Grass
  3. Meganium Grass
  1. Cyndaquil Fire
  2. Quilava Fire
  3. Typhlosion Fire
  1. Totodile (Best starter in Gold & Silver and Crystal) Water
  2. Croconaw Water
  3. Feraligatr Water
Gen 3 Hoenn Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
  1. Treecko Grass
  2. Grovyle Grass
  3. Sceptile Grass
  1. Torchic Fire
  2. Combusken Fire Fighting
  3. Blaziken Fire Fighting
  1. Mudkip (Best starter in Ruby & Sapphire and Emerald) Water
  2. Marshtomp Water Ground
  3. Swampert Water Ground
Gen 4 Sinnoh Diamond & Pearl, Platinum, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
  1. Turtwig Grass
  2. Grotle Grass
  3. Torterra Grass Ground
  1. Chimchar Fire
  2. Monferno Fire Fighting
  3. Infernape Fire Fighting
  1. Piplup Water
  2. Prinplup Water
  3. Empoleon Water Steel
Gen 5 Unova Black & White, Black 2 & White 2
  1. Snivy Grass
  2. Servine Grass
  3. Serperior Grass
  1. Tepig Fire
  2. Pignite Fire Fighting
  3. Emboar Fire Fighting
  1. Oshawott Water
  2. Dewott Water
  3. Samurott Water
Gen 6 Kalos X & Y
  1. Chespin Grass
  2. Quilladin Grass
  3. Chesnaught Grass Fighting
  1. Fennekin Fire
  2. Braixen Fire
  3. Delphox Fire Psychic
  1. Froakie Water
  2. Frogadier Water
  3. Greninja Water Dark
Gen 7 Alola Sun & Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
  1. Rowlet Grass Flying
  2. Dartrix Grass Flying
  3. Decidueye Grass Ghost
  1. Litten Fire
  2. Torracat Fire
  3. Incineroar Fire Dark
  1. Popplio Water
  2. Brionne Water
  3. Primarina Water Fairy
Gen 8 Galar Sword & Shield
  1. Grookey Grass
  2. Thwackey Grass
  3. Rillaboom Grass
  1. Scorbunny Fire
  2. Raboot Fire
  3. Cinderace Fire
  1. Sobble (Best starter in Sword & Shield) Water
  2. Drizzile Water
  3. Inteleon Water
Gen 9 Paldea Scarlet & Violet
  1. Sprigatito Grass
  2. Floragato Grass
  3. Meowscarada Grass Dark
  1. Fuecoco (Best starter in Scarlet & Violet) Fire
  2. Crocalor Fire
  3. Skeledirge Fire Ghost
  1. Quaxly Water
  2. Quaxwell Water
  3. Quaquaval Water Fighting
Gen 10 Winds & Waves Not out yet, so it isn't in the 27, and no evolutions have been revealed. Full Winds & Waves starter page
  1. Browt Grass
  1. Pombon Fire
  1. Gecqua Water

Games With a Different Starter Setup

  • YellowYou start with Pikachu. Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle can join later as gifts, though Bulbasaur only comes if your Pikachu is happy enough.
  • Let's GoYou don't pick. Your partner is the Pokemon in the game's title.
  • Legends: ArceusPick Rowlet, Cyndaquil or Oshawott. Each one ends in a Hisuian form instead of its usual final evolution.
  • Legends: Z-AChikorita and Totodile come back from Gen 2, and Tepig from Gen 5.
Game guides

Best Starter Pokemon by Game

Remakes and updated versions don't always agree with their originals. Emerald's new gym teams take away both of Treecko's Tough fights from Ruby and Sapphire, and FireRed and LeafGreen don't keep Red and Blue's Squirtle on top.

KantoGen 1 and Gen 3
Red & BlueBulbasaurCharmanderSquirtle (top pick)Top pick: SquirtleWins 8 of 13 boss fightswaterRed & Blue starter guide 
YellowPikachuPikachu, plus three free startersPikachu wins 2 of 13 boss fightselectricYellow starter guide 
FireRed & LeafGreenBulbasaurCharmander (top pick)SquirtleTop pick: CharmanderWins 9 of 13 boss fightsfireFireRed & LeafGreen starter guide 
JohtoGen 2
Gold & SilverChikoritaCyndaquilTotodile (top pick)Top pick: TotodileWins 13 of 21 boss fightswaterGold & Silver starter guide 
CrystalChikoritaCyndaquilTotodile (top pick)Top pick: TotodileWins 13 of 21 boss fightswaterCrystal starter guide 
HoennGen 3
Ruby & SapphireTreeckoTorchicMudkip (top pick)Top pick: MudkipWins 9 of 13 boss fightswaterRuby & Sapphire starter guide 
EmeraldTreeckoTorchicMudkip (top pick)Top pick: MudkipWins 8 of 13 boss fightswaterEmerald starter guide 
SwitchGen 7, Gen 8 and Gen 9
Let's GoPikachuEeveePartner set by your versionMost wins: Pikachu, 8 of 14 boss fightselectricnormalLet's Go starter guide 
Sword & ShieldGrookeyScorbunnySobble (top pick)Top pick: SobbleWins 7 of 17 boss fightswaterSword & Shield starter guide 
Legends: ArceusRowletCyndaquilOshawottNo top pick: a tieMost wins: Oshawott, 3 of 7 boss fightsgrassfirewaterLegends: Arceus starter guide 
Scarlet & VioletSprigatitoFuecoco (top pick)QuaxlyTop pick: FuecocoWins 19 of 28 boss fightsfireScarlet & Violet starter guide 

Top pick: the starter that leads on the most of three counts: boss fights rated Good or Strong, the average score over the first four fights, and the fewest Tough fights. Still tied means no top pick. Crystal has the same boss teams and starter moves as Gold and Silver, so the ratings match.

Coming later

These games do not have a starter guide yet.

  • Diamond & Pearl
  • Platinum
  • HeartGold & SoulSilver
  • Black & White
  • Black 2 & White 2
  • X & Y
  • Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
  • Sun & Moon
  • Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
  • Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
  • Legends: Z-A
Tier list

Every starter ranked in one list

The list above sorts starters by generation, and the ratings below stay inside each game. For all starters ranked against each other, open the Starter Pokemon Tier List.

Open the Starter Tier List
By game

Grass, Fire or Water: Which Starter Wins in Each Game

The Water starter wins the most boss fights in 5 of the 9 games with three starters.

Six starter runs finish without a single Tough fight: Totodile in Gold and Silver and in Crystal, Mudkip in Ruby and Sapphire and in Emerald, Treecko in Emerald, and Partner Pikachu in Let's Go Pikachu. Every other run below has at least one.

Each starter over the whole game. Wins count boss fights rated Good or Strong, out of the fights we rate. Avg is the average score of those fights, 0 to 100. Start is the average of the first 4 fights. Tough counts fights rated Tough or Bad. The top pick leads on the most of three counts: wins, Start and fewest Tough fights.

Ratings come from our matchup model: your starter's form, level, moves and stats at each fight against that boss team. Not a tier list.

Best starter by type in the 8 games with a top pick
Starter typeGames where it is the top pick
water6 of 8
fire2 of 8
grass0 of 8
Chart colours
  • Strong
  • Good
  • Even
  • Tough
  • Bad
  • Not rated
  1. Red & BlueGen 1
    • BulbasaurWins 4 of 13Avg 51Start 45Tough 3
    • CharmanderWins 5 of 13Avg 53Start 49Tough 3
    • SquirtleTop pickWins 8 of 13Avg 59Start 53Tough 2
  2. YellowGen 1One starter
    • PikachuWins 2 of 13Avg 45Start 41Tough 7
  3. Gold & SilverGen 2
    • ChikoritaWins 9 of 21Avg 56Start 47Tough 3
    • CyndaquilWins 12 of 21Avg 61Start 61Tough 2
    • TotodileTop pickWins 13 of 21Avg 61Start 57Tough 0
  4. CrystalGen 2

    Same boss teams and starter moves as Gold & Silver, so the same results: top pick Totodile. See the Crystal ratings

  5. Ruby & SapphireGen 3
    • TreeckoWins 7 of 13Avg 59Start 55Tough 2
    • TorchicWins 6 of 13Avg 57Start 54Tough 1
    • MudkipTop pickWins 9 of 13Avg 60Start 71Tough 0
  6. EmeraldGen 3
    • TreeckoWins 8 of 13Avg 62Start 59Tough 0
    • TorchicWins 6 of 13Avg 56Start 53Tough 1
    • MudkipTop pickWins 8 of 13Avg 60Start 72Tough 0
  7. FireRed & LeafGreenGen 3
    • BulbasaurWins 5 of 13Avg 56Start 61Tough 3
    • CharmanderTop pickWins 9 of 13Avg 56Start 50Tough 2
    • SquirtleWins 8 of 13Avg 60Start 53Tough 2
  8. Let's GoGen 7Partner by version
    • PikachuWins 8 of 14Avg 58Start 55Tough 0
    • EeveeWins 4 of 14Avg 54Start 55Tough 1
  9. Sword & ShieldGen 8
    • GrookeyWins 6 of 17Avg 53Start 46Tough 2
    • ScorbunnyWins 9 of 17Avg 55Start 49Tough 4
    • SobbleTop pickWins 7 of 17Avg 55Start 50Tough 1
  10. Legends: ArceusGen 8No top pick: Oshawott has the most wins, Cyndaquil the highest Start
    • RowletWins 2 of 7Avg 47Start 42Tough 3
    • CyndaquilWins 2 of 7Avg 51Start 48Tough 2
    • OshawottWins 3 of 7Avg 52Start 46Tough 2
  11. Scarlet & VioletGen 9
    • SprigatitoWins 9 of 28Avg 52Start 53Tough 3
    • FuecocoTop pickWins 19 of 28Avg 59Start 57Tough 1
    • QuaxlyWins 9 of 28Avg 54Start 50Tough 1
grasswaterfire

Each arrow points from a type to the type it beats.

In Gen 1 to 3, your rival takes the starter that beats yours

  • You choosegrassand your rival takesfire
  • You choosefireand your rival takeswater
  • You choosewaterand your rival takesgrass

Yellow is different: your rival takes Eevee.

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