Best Starter in Pokemon Crystal
Crystal's best starter is Totodile. It wins 13 of 21 boss fights and isn't rated Tough in any of them. The boss teams match Gold and Silver, so every rating carries over fight for fight. Crystal's change is in its teams: Chikorita's and Totodile's add Jynx and Jolteon, which no Gold and Silver team has.
Crystal Starter Evolutions and Stats
Chikorita
Final form: Meganium
grassEvolution
Your rival takes Cyndaquil
Base statsMeganium
- Total
- 525
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Falkner | Tough, 41.4 |
| Bugsy | Tough, 37.4 |
| Whitney | Good, 57.8 |
| Morty | Even, 50.3 |
| Chuck | Even, 56.3 |
| Jasmine | Good, 58.6 |
| Pryce | Strong, 76.2 |
| Clair | Tough, 41.3 |
| Will | Good, 57.2 |
| Koga | Even, 44.5 |
| Bruno | Good, 67.8 |
| Karen | Even, 52.9 |
| Lance | Even, 43.4 |
| Lt. Surge | Good, 65.2 |
| Sabrina | Good, 57.7 |
| Erika | Even, 46.9 |
| Janine | Even, 46.4 |
| Misty | Strong, 77.5 |
| Brock | Strong, 92.5 |
| Blaine | Even, 54.9 |
| Blue | Even, 52.1 |
Wins 9 of 21
Cyndaquil
Final form: Typhlosion
fireEvolution
Your rival takes Totodile
Base statsTyphlosion
- Total
- 534
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Falkner | Even, 44.3 |
| Bugsy | Strong, 72.2 |
| Whitney | Even, 56.4 |
| Morty | Good, 69.4 |
| Chuck | Tough, 42.8 |
| Jasmine | Strong, 75.3 |
| Pryce | Good, 65.4 |
| Clair | Tough, 38.9 |
| Will | Good, 69.0 |
| Koga | Strong, 79.3 |
| Bruno | Good, 58.3 |
| Karen | Strong, 72.4 |
| Lance | Even, 48.7 |
| Lt. Surge | Good, 69.8 |
| Sabrina | Good, 60.4 |
| Erika | Strong, 85.1 |
| Janine | Strong, 72.4 |
| Misty | Even, 47.2 |
| Brock | Even, 49.1 |
| Blaine | Even, 55.9 |
| Blue | Even, 54.8 |
Wins 12 of 21
Totodile
Final form: Feraligatr
waterEvolution
Your rival takes Chikorita
Base statsFeraligatr
- Total
- 530
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Falkner | Even, 45.1 |
| Bugsy | Even, 54.6 |
| Whitney | Good, 58.5 |
| Morty | Good, 68.5 |
| Chuck | Even, 48.4 |
| Jasmine | Strong, 77.9 |
| Pryce | Good, 64.8 |
| Clair | Even, 44.7 |
| Will | Good, 60.1 |
| Koga | Good, 63.8 |
| Bruno | Good, 65.8 |
| Karen | Good, 65.9 |
| Lance | Even, 56.5 |
| Lt. Surge | Good, 66.7 |
| Sabrina | Good, 58.3 |
| Erika | Even, 49.4 |
| Janine | Good, 62.3 |
| Misty | Even, 52.6 |
| Brock | Strong, 82.6 |
| Blaine | Strong, 73.1 |
| Blue | Even, 56.4 |
Most wins: 13 of 21
- Strong
- Good
- Even
- Tough
- Bad
- Score 50
Crystal Boss Fights, Rated for Each Starter
21 fights in story orderCyndaquil's only Tough fights in Crystal are Chuck in Cianwood City and Clair in Blackthorn City. Otherwise it's never below Even, and it's rated Strong six times, more than Totodile manages.
Each cell is that starter's rating for the fight, scored 0 to 100. Tap a row for the boss team.
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.
| Boss |  Chikorita |  Cyndaquil |  Totodile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johto gyms · 8 | 3 won · 3 Tough | 4 won · 2 Tough | 4 won · 0 Tough |
Tough41.4 | Even44.3 | Even45.1 | |
Tough37.4 | Strong72.2 | Even54.6 | |
Good57.8 | Even56.4 | Good58.5 | |
Even50.3 | Good69.4 | Good68.5 | |
Even56.3 | Tough42.8 | Even48.4 | |
Good58.6 | Strong75.3 | Strong77.9 | |
Strong76.2 | Good65.4 | Good64.8 | |
Tough41.3 | Tough38.9 | Even44.7 | |
| Indigo Plateau · 5 | 2 won · 0 Tough | 4 won · 0 Tough | 4 won · 0 Tough |
Good57.2 | Good69.0 | Good60.1 | |
Even44.5 | Strong79.3 | Good63.8 | |
Good67.8 | Good58.3 | Good65.8 | |
Even52.9 | Strong72.4 | Good65.9 | |
Even43.4 | Even48.7 | Even56.5 | |
| Kanto gyms (after the League) · 8 | 4 won · 0 Tough | 4 won · 0 Tough | 5 won · 0 Tough |
Good65.2 | Good69.8 | Good66.7 | |
Good57.7 | Good60.4 | Good58.3 | |
Even46.9 | Strong85.1 | Even49.4 | |
Even46.4 | Strong72.4 | Good62.3 | |
Strong77.5 | Even47.2 | Even52.6 | |
Strong92.5 | Even49.1 | Strong82.6 | |
Even54.9 | Even55.9 | Strong73.1 | |
Even52.1 | Even54.8 | Even56.4 |
The Elite Four and Lance are rated at an assumed player level of 56. Kanto gyms are listed in the order the ratings assume.
Rival fights are not rated.
Best Team for Each Crystal Starter
5 teammates per starter · all obtainable in CrystalJynx tops Totodile's Crystal ranking, and it's a rare catch on Ice Path B1F in the morning or during the day. Dragonite and Hypno follow at 3rd and 4th. You fish the Dratini up on Route 45 with the Good Rod, and Drowzee comes out on Route 34 at night.
- FalknerTough 41
- BugsyTough 37
- ClairTough 41
This team wins 20 of 21 boss fights. It wins 2 of Chikorita's 3 Tough or Bad fights; no teammate you can catch in time wins Falkner.
Between them, the team resists every type Chikorita is weak to.
Why not Geodude for Falkner? We rate that fight at Lv 7, and Geodude only learns Rock Throw at Lv 11.
- Haunter
ghost
poison7th of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Sprout Tower 2F, at nightWhen: Before Gym 1 (Falkner)Level: Lv 3 to 6
- MortyStrong 79
- ChuckGood 66
- JanineStrong 78
- Jolteon
electric10th of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Bills Familys House, a giftWhen: Before Gym 4 (Morty)Level: Lv 20
- ChuckGood 70
- KogaGood 69
- KarenGood 70
- Jynx
ice
psychic1st of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Ice Path B1F, in the morning and during the day, rareWhen: Before Gym 8 (Clair)Level: Lv 22
You catch it as Jynx.
- ClairStrong 72
- ErikaStrong 87
- JanineStrong 85
fighting
- ChuckTough 43
- ClairTough 39
This team wins 19 of 21 boss fights. It wins both of Cyndaquil's Tough or Bad fights.
Between them, the team resists every type Cyndaquil is weak to.
- Hypnopsychic
4th of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Route 34, at nightWhen: Before Gym 3 (Whitney)Level: Lv 12
- ChuckStrong 72
- ClairGood 59
- BrockGood 67
- Nidokingpoison
groundGood or Strong in 11 of 19 fights after you catch it
Where: National Park, in the morning and during the dayWhen: Before Gym 3 (Whitney)Level: Lv 12
You catch Nidoran♂. Nidorino at Lv 16, then Nidoking with a Moon Stone.
- LanceGood 58
- BrockGood 72
- BlaineStrong 73
- Golduckwater
9th of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Ilex Forest, at nightWhen: Before Gym 3 (Whitney)Level: Lv 7
- JasmineStrong 76
- BrockStrong 82
- BlaineStrong 76
- Starmiewaterpsychic
2nd of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Cherrygrove City, with the Good Rod, at nightWhen: Before Gym 5 (Chuck)Level: Lv 20
- LanceGood 64
- BrockStrong 85
- BlaineStrong 79
- Dragonite
dragon
flying3rd of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Route 45, with the Good Rod, during the day and during the nightWhen: Before Gym 8 (Clair)Level: Lv 10
You catch Dratini. Dragonair at Lv 30, then Dragonite at Lv 55.
- ClairGood 62as Dragonair
- LanceGood 70
- BrockStrong 80as Dragonair
This team wins 20 of 21 boss fights.
Between them, the team resists every type Totodile is weak to.
- Hypnopsychic
4th of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Route 34, at nightWhen: Before Gym 3 (Whitney)Level: Lv 12
- ChuckStrong 72
- LanceGood 64
- ErikaStrong 76
- Jolteonelectric
10th of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Bills Familys House, a giftWhen: Before Gym 4 (Morty)Level: Lv 20
- ChuckGood 70
- LanceGood 66
- MistyGood 67
- Jynxicepsychic
1st of 91 Crystal teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Ice Path B1F, in the morning and during the day, rareWhen: Before Gym 8 (Clair)Level: Lv 22
You catch it as Jynx.
- ClairStrong 72
- LanceGood 70
- ErikaStrong 87
Every teammate is a wild catch or a gift in Crystal, with no trading between games. It counts only for fights after you can catch it, and an evolution only once you can reach its item. Rare means under 1 in 10 wild encounters there. Teammates are ranked by how they do in the boss fights after you catch them, and a late catch ranks lower because it misses fights. At least two of the five join before a quarter of the boss fights are done. Every teammate is in the top third of that ranking. No two of the six (your starter and its five teammates) have exactly the same typing, and no type appears on more than two of them or hits more than two for super effective damage. The six always include a physical attacker, a special attacker, a fast Pokemon and a bulky one. Wins in your starter's Tough or Bad fights count extra, and legendary and mythical Pokemon are left out. Scores come from the Boss fights model, for the teammate's form at that fight.
Key Moves for Each Crystal Starter
Totodile already has Rage at Lv 7, the level we rate Falkner at in Crystal. Chikorita doesn't: Razor Leaf comes at Lv 8, one too late. Totodile's Crystal page covers every move after that.
| Lv | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Grass, Special, power 55 | grass Special | Special | 55 |
| 12 | Psychic, Status | psychic Status | Status | None |
| Evolves to Bayleef at Lv 16 | ||||
| 23 | Grass, Status | grassStatus | Status | None |
| 31 | Normal, Physical, power 85 |  normal Physical | Physical | 85 |
| Evolves to Meganium at Lv 32 | ||||
| 61 | Grass, Special, power 120 | grassSpecial | Special | 120 |
| Lv | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Fire, Special, power 40 | fireSpecial | Special | 40 |
| Evolves to Quilava at Lv 14 | ||||
| 21 | Normal, Physical, power 40 | normalPhysical | Physical | 40 |
| 31 | Fire, Special, power 60 | fireSpecial | Special | 60 |
| Evolves to Typhlosion at Lv 36 | ||||
| 45 | Normal, Physical, power 60 | normalPhysical | Physical | 60 |
| 60 | Fire, Special, power 95 | fireSpecial | Special | 95 |
| Lv | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Normal, Physical, power 20 | normalPhysical | Physical | 20 |
| 13 | Water, Special, power 40 | waterSpecial | Special | 40 |
| Evolves to Croconaw at Lv 18 | ||||
| 21 | Dark, Special, power 60 |  darkSpecial | Special | 60 |
| Evolves to Feraligatr at Lv 30 | ||||
| 38 | Normal, Physical, power 70 | normalPhysical | Physical | 70 |
| 58 | Water, Special, power 120 | waterSpecial | Special | 120 |
In Gen 1 to 3, a move's type decides if it is physical or special.
More Crystal guides
Each Crystal starter has its own page here, with Crystal's catch spots and levels. Chikorita's covers the hardest start in Crystal.
Starters in other games
Gold and Silver give the same answer, Totodile. Mudkip has a run this clean in Ruby and Sapphire, with no Tough fights at all.