Best Starter in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
Mudkip is the best starter in Ruby and Sapphire, with 9 wins from 13 boss fights and not one rated Tough or Bad. As Marshtomp it's rated Strong against Wattson and Flannery. That form comes early, at Lv 16, but the Ruby and Sapphire evolution levels hold Swampert back until Lv 36.
Ruby and Sapphire Starter Evolutions and Stats
Treecko
Final form: Sceptile
grass
Base statsSceptile
- Total
- 530
- Ability
- Overgrow
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Roxanne | Good, 70.5 |
| Brawly | Good, 60.5 |
| Wattson | Even, 46.5 |
| Flannery | Tough, 42.5 |
| Norman | Even, 47.0 |
| Winona | Tough, 39.3 |
| Tate & Liza | Strong, 77.1 |
| Wallace | Strong, 81.0 |
| Sidney | Good, 61.6 |
| Phoebe | Good, 62.4 |
| Glacia | Strong, 72.0 |
| Drake | Even, 54.7 |
| Steven | Even, 54.2 |
Wins 7 of 13
Torchic
Final form: Blaziken
fire
fighting
Base statsBlaziken
- Total
- 530
- Ability
- Blaze
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Roxanne | Tough, 33.7 |
| Brawly | Good, 67.5 |
| Wattson | Even, 55.6 |
| Flannery | Good, 60.1 |
| Norman | Even, 53.0 |
| Winona | Even, 46.2 |
| Tate & Liza | Even, 48.6 |
| Wallace | Good, 59.7 |
| Sidney | Strong, 73.8 |
| Phoebe | Even, 50.9 |
| Glacia | Strong, 76.8 |
| Drake | Even, 49.5 |
| Steven | Good, 64.1 |
Wins 6 of 13
Mudkip
Final form: Swampert
water
ground
Base statsSwampert
- Total
- 535
- Ability
- Torrent
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Roxanne | Strong, 72.9 |
| Brawly | Good, 62.0 |
| Wattson | Strong, 73.9 |
| Flannery | Strong, 76.2 |
| Norman | Even, 46.5 |
| Winona | Even, 45.5 |
| Tate & Liza | Even, 52.7 |
| Wallace | Even, 56.5 |
| Sidney | Good, 58.5 |
| Phoebe | Good, 57.3 |
| Glacia | Good, 63.6 |
| Drake | Good, 59.1 |
| Steven | Good, 59.7 |
Most wins: 9 of 13
- Strong
- Good
- Even
- Tough
- Bad
- Score 50
Ruby and Sapphire Boss Fights, Rated for Each Starter
13 fights in story orderWinona's flyers in Fortree City are Treecko's last Tough fight in Ruby and Sapphire. After that, Sceptile is rated Strong against Wallace and Glacia, and against Tate and Liza too.
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 |  Treecko |  Torchic |  Mudkip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gyms · 8 | 4 won · 2 Tough | 3 won · 1 Tough | 4 won · 0 Tough |
Good70.5 | Tough33.7 | Strong72.9 | |
Good60.5 | Good67.5 | Good62.0 | |
Even46.5 | Even55.6 | Strong73.9 | |
Tough42.5 | Good60.1 | Strong76.2 | |
Even47.0 | Even53.0 | Even46.5 | |
Tough39.3 | Even46.2 | Even45.5 | |
Strong77.1 | Even48.6 | Even52.7 | |
Strong81.0 | Good59.7 | Even56.5 | |
| Pokemon League · 5 | 3 won · 0 Tough | 3 won · 0 Tough | 5 won · 0 Tough |
Good61.6 | Strong73.8 | Good58.5 | |
Good62.4 | Even50.9 | Good57.3 | |
Strong72.0 | Strong76.8 | Good63.6 | |
Even54.7 | Even49.5 | Good59.1 | |
Even54.2 | Good64.1 | Good59.7 |
Rival fights are not rated.
Best Team for Each Ruby and Sapphire Starter
5 teammates per starter · all obtainable in Ruby & SapphireAbsol tops Mudkip's Ruby and Sapphire ranking, and Pelipper, Manectric and Breloom follow in its Ruby top four. Three of the five join before Roxanne, Slaking from a rare Slakoth in Petalburg Woods among them. Absol is the long wait, a rare catch on Route 120 before Winona.
- FlanneryTough 42
- WinonaTough 39
This team wins 12 of 13 boss fights. It wins both of Treecko's Tough or Bad fights.
Between them, the team resists every type Treecko is weak to.
- Breloomgrassfighting
4th of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (5th of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Petalburg WoodsWhen: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 5 to 6
- NormanGood 65
- GlaciaStrong 74
- StevenGood 60
- Pelipperwater
flying2nd of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (3rd of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Route 103When: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 2 to 4
- FlanneryStrong 77
- WinonaGood 62
- DrakeGood 67
- Tentacruelwater
poisonThe only teammate that resists Ice and Poison, which Treecko is weak to
Where: Route 103, with the Old RodWhen: Before Gym 2 (Brawly)Level: Lv 5 to 10
You catch Tentacool. Tentacruel at Lv 30.
- FlanneryGood 72as Tentacool
- Tate & LizaGood 62
- DrakeGood 64
- Manectric
electric3rd of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (4th of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Route 110When: Before Gym 3 (Wattson)Level: Lv 12 to 13
- FlanneryGood 62
- WinonaStrong 75
- GlaciaGood 71
- Absol
dark1st of 86 Ruby and Sapphire teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Route 120, rareWhen: Before Gym 6 (Winona)Level: Lv 25 to 27
Doesn't evolve.
- WinonaGood 66
- PhoebeGood 68
- DrakeGood 71
- RoxanneTough 34
This team wins 12 of 13 boss fights. It wins Torchic's one Tough or Bad fight.
Between them, the team resists every type Torchic is weak to.
- Breloomgrassfighting
4th of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (5th of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Petalburg WoodsWhen: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 5 to 6
- RoxanneGood 70as Shroomish
- NormanGood 65
- Tate & LizaGood 64
- Slaking
normal6th of 86 Ruby and Sapphire teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Petalburg Woods, rareWhen: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 5 to 6
You catch Slakoth. Vigoroth at Lv 18, then Slaking at Lv 36.
- WinonaGood 65as Vigoroth
- SidneyGood 70
- DrakeGood 71
- Pelipperwaterflying
2nd of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (3rd of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Route 103When: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 2 to 4
- RoxanneGood 60as Wingull
- WinonaGood 62
- DrakeGood 67
- Manectricelectric
3rd of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (4th of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Route 110When: Before Gym 3 (Wattson)Level: Lv 12 to 13
- WinonaStrong 75
- Tate & LizaGood 65
- PhoebeGood 63
- Absoldark
1st of 86 Ruby and Sapphire teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Route 120, rareWhen: Before Gym 6 (Winona)Level: Lv 25 to 27
Doesn't evolve.
- Tate & LizaGood 68
- PhoebeGood 68
- DrakeGood 71
This team wins 13 of 13 boss fights.
Between them, the team resists every type Mudkip is weak to.
- Breloomgrassfighting
4th of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (5th of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Petalburg WoodsWhen: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 5 to 6
- NormanGood 65
- Tate & LizaGood 64
- WallaceStrong 74
- Slakingnormal
6th of 86 Ruby and Sapphire teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Petalburg Woods, rareWhen: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 5 to 6
You catch Slakoth. Vigoroth at Lv 18, then Slaking at Lv 36.
- WinonaGood 65as Vigoroth
- WallaceGood 66
- DrakeGood 71
- Pelipperwaterflying
2nd of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (3rd of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Route 103When: Before Gym 1 (Roxanne)Level: Lv 2 to 4
- FlanneryStrong 77
- WinonaGood 62
- Tate & LizaGood 58
- Manectricelectric
3rd of 86 Ruby teammates in our boss-fight scores (4th of 86 in Sapphire)
Where: Route 110When: Before Gym 3 (Wattson)Level: Lv 12 to 13
- WinonaStrong 75
- Tate & LizaGood 65
- WallaceGood 70
- Absoldark
1st of 86 Ruby and Sapphire teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Route 120, rareWhen: Before Gym 6 (Winona)Level: Lv 25 to 27
Doesn't evolve.
- WinonaGood 66
- Tate & LizaGood 68
- WallaceGood 59
Every teammate is a wild catch in Ruby & Sapphire, 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 Ruby and Sapphire Starter
Marshtomp learns Mud Shot at Lv 16, the moment it evolves, and Swampert waits until Lv 52 for Earthquake. You'll find every move Mudkip learns in Ruby and Sapphire on its own page.
| Lv | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Grass, Special, power 20 | grass Special | Special | 20 |
| 11 | Normal, Physical, power 40 | normal Physical | Physical | 40 |
| Evolves to Grovyle at Lv 16 | ||||
| 29 | Grass, Special, power 70 | grassSpecial | Special | 70 |
| 35 | Psychic, Status |  psychic Status | Status | None |
| Evolves to Sceptile at Lv 36 | ||||
| 43 | Normal, Physical, power 80 | normalPhysical | Physical | 80 |
| Lv | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Fire, Special, power 40 | fireSpecial | Special | 40 |
| Evolves to Combusken at Lv 16 | ||||
| 16 | Fighting, Physical, power 30 | fightingPhysical | Physical | 30 |
| 28 | Fighting, Status | fightingStatus | Status | None |
| Evolves to Blaziken at Lv 36 | ||||
| 36 | Fire, Special, power 85 | fireSpecial | Special | 85 |
| 42 | Normal, Physical, power 70 | normalPhysical | Physical | 70 |
| 59 | Fighting, Physical, power 85 | fightingPhysical | Physical | 85 |
| Lv | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Ground, Physical, power 20 | groundPhysical | Physical | 20 |
| 10 | Water, Special, power 40 | waterSpecial | Special | 40 |
| Evolves to Marshtomp at Lv 16 | ||||
| 16 | Ground, Physical, power 55 | groundPhysical | Physical | 55 |
| 31 | Normal, Physical, power 90 | normalPhysical | Physical | 90 |
| Evolves to Swampert at Lv 36 | ||||
| 39 | Water, Special, power 95 | waterSpecial | Special | 95 |
| 46 | Normal, Status | normalStatus | Status | None |
| 52 | Ground, Physical, power 100 | groundPhysical | Physical | 100 |
In Gen 1 to 3, a move's type decides if it is physical or special.
More Ruby and Sapphire guides
Torchic's page covers a strong finish: Blaziken is rated Strong against Sidney and Glacia in the Elite Four, though Roxanne is Tough at the start.
Starters in other games
Treecko doesn't have a single Tough fight in Emerald, where new gym teams rate Flannery and Winona Even for it. FireRed and LeafGreen, also Gen 3, go to Charmander.