The Star Shape Pokemon. Don't overlook Staryu, because a Water Stone turns it into the S-Tier Starmie, one of Red & Blue's best Pokemon.
355HP30Attack45Defense55Speed85Sp.Def70Sp.Atk70
Staryu
Starmie
Weak to
Special
Balanced
85Speed · Above Avg

Is Staryu Good in Red & Blue Playthrough?

Staryu is fast and hits well enough for when you catch it. The real payoff is a Water Stone evolution into Starmie, one of the absolute best Pokemon in the game. Don't skip this one.

StrongGoodEvenToughBadSEGEGESSGSSGGBrockGym 1MistyGym 2SurgeGym 3ErikaGym 4KogaGym 5SabrinaGym 6StaryuCatchableStarmieEvolveBlaineGym 7GiovanniGym 8LoreleiE4BrunoE4AgathaE4LanceE4BlueChamp*
Brock
Gym 1
Strong

Staryu resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.

Easy KO
Geodude
Lv 12
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleDefense Curl
Easy KO
Onix
Lv 14
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleScreechBide
Misty
Gym 2
Even

Staryu trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.

Even
Staryu
Lv 18
Water
Illuminate
TackleWater Gun
Risky
Starmie
Lv 21
WaterPsychic
Illuminate
TackleWater GunBubble Beam
Lt. Surge
Gym 3
Good

Staryu has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.

You Win
Voltorb
Lv 21
Electric
Soundproof
TackleScreechSonic Boom
You Win
Pikachu
Lv 18
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunder WaveQuick Attack
Even
Raichu
Lv 24
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunderbolt
Erika
Gym 4
Even

Staryu trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.

Risky
Victreebel
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Razor LeafWrapPoison PowderSleep Powder
You Win
Tangela
Lv 24
Grass
Chlorophyll
ConstrictBind
Risky
Vileplume
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Petal DancePoison PowderMega DrainSleep Powder
Koga
Gym 5
Good

Staryu has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.

You Win
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
You Win
Muk
Lv 39
Poison
Stench
DisablePoison GasMinimizeSludge
You Win
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Even
Weezing
Lv 43
Poison
Levitate
SmogSludgeToxicSelf Destruct
Sabrina
Gym 6
Even

Staryu trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.

Even
Kadabra
Lv 38
Psychic
Synchronize
DisablePsybeamRecoverPsychic
Even
Mr Mime
Lv 37
Psychic
Soundproof
ConfusionBarrierLight ScreenDouble Slap
You Win
Venomoth
Lv 38
BugPoison
Shield Dust
Poison PowderLeech LifeStun SporePsybeam
Risky
Alakazam
Lv 43
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsywaveReflect
Blaine
Gym 7
Strong

Starmie resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.

Easy KO
Growlithe
Lv 42
Fire
Intimidate
EmberLeerTake DownAgility
Easy KO
Ponyta
Lv 40
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
Easy KO
Rapidash
Lv 42
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
Easy KO
Arcanine
Lv 47
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberFire BlastTake Down
Giovanni
Gym 8
Strong

Starmie resists most of Giovanni's coverage and hits back hard.

Easy KO
Rhyhorn
Lv 45
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFury AttackHorn Drill
Easy KO
Dugtrio
Lv 42
Ground
Sand Veil
GrowlDigSand AttackSlash
Easy KO
Nidoqueen
Lv 44
PoisonGround
Poison Point
ScratchTail WhipBody SlamPoison Sting
Easy KO
Nidoking
Lv 45
PoisonGround
Poison Point
TackleHorn AttackPoison StingThrash
Easy KO
Rhydon
Lv 50
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFissureHorn Drill
Lorelei
Elite Four
Good

Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.

You Win
Dewgong
Lv 54
WaterIce
Thick Fat
GrowlAurora BeamRestTake Down
You Win
Cloyster
Lv 53
WaterIce
Shell Armor
SupersonicClampAurora BeamSpike Cannon
You Win
Slowbro
Lv 54
WaterPsychic
Oblivious
GrowlWater GunWithdrawAmnesia
Even
Jynx
Lv 56
IcePsychic
Oblivious
Double SlapIce PunchBody SlamThrash
You Win
Lapras
Lv 56
WaterIce
Water Absorb
Body SlamConfuse RayBlizzardHydro Pump
Bruno
Elite Four
Strong

Starmie resists most of Bruno's coverage and hits back hard.

Easy KO
Onix
Lv 53
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Easy KO
Hitmonchan
Lv 55
Fighting
Keen Eye
Ice PunchThunder PunchMega PunchCounter
Easy KO
Hitmonlee
Lv 55
Fighting
Limber
Jump KickFocus EnergyHigh Jump KickMega Kick
Easy KO
Onix
Lv 56
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Easy KO
Machamp
Lv 58
Fighting
Guts
LeerFocus EnergyFissureSubmission
Agatha
Elite Four
Strong

Starmie resists most of Agatha's coverage and hits back hard.

You Win
Gengar
Lv 56
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Easy KO
Golbat
Lv 56
PoisonFlying
Inner Focus
SupersonicConfuse RayWing AttackHaze
Easy KO
Haunter
Lv 55
GhostPoison
Levitate
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Easy KO
Arbok
Lv 58
Poison
Intimidate
BiteGlareScreechAcid
You Win
Gengar
Lv 60
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeToxicDream Eater
Lance
Elite Four
Good

Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Lance's team.

You Win
Gyarados
Lv 58
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
You Win
Aerodactyl
Lv 60
RockFlying
Rock Head
SupersonicBiteTake DownHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonite
Lv 62
DragonFlying
Inner Focus
AgilitySlamBarrierHyper Beam
Blue
Champion
Good

Starmie has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.

You Win
Pidgeot
Lv 61
NormalFlying
Keen Eye
WhirlwindWing AttackSky AttackMirror Move
Even
Alakazam
Lv 59
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsychicReflect
Easy KO
Rhydon
Lv 61
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
Tail WhipFury AttackHorn DrillLeer
Easy KO
Arcanine
Lv 61
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberLeerTake Down
Even
Exeggutor
Lv 63
GrassPsychic
Chlorophyll
BarrageHypnosisStomp
You Win
Blastoise
Lv 65
Water
Torrent
BiteWithdrawBlizzardHydro Pump

Catchable

Available after Badge 6
Type
Water
Tier
E

Catch Staryu on Seafoam Islands (walking, Lv 28, rare).

View Staryu locations

Evolve Staryu to Starmie

Use Water Stone
Type
WaterPsychic
Tier
S

Staryu evolves into Starmie with a Water Stone. You can buy the Water Stone at the Celadon Department Store on the 4th floor (₽2,100).

Recommended Moves

How to Get Staryu in Red & Blue

Nineteen water spots carry Staryu, reachable by Super Rod fishing or walking the shoreline. Common to rare depending where you look, and a Water Stone later turns it into Starmie.

5 locations to catch Staryu

Encountered via fishing with a Rod, tall grass encounters

Badge 6
Badge 7

Staryu Weakness

Staryu is weak to Electric and Grass. Its Water typing keeps the defensive matchups simple. Only 2 weaknesses makes it relatively easy to build around defensively.

Staryu Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Electric, Grass
0.5x (Resist)Fire, Water, Ice
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

What is Staryu Weak Against

Avg
2Weak
3Resist
0Immune
Score-1
4xCritical
None
½xResist
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
None

What is Staryu Strong Against

3Strong
3Resisted
0Immune
Score0
½xResisted
0xImmune
None

Best Pokemon Against Staryu

Parasect
Parasect
BugGrass
C
Venusaur
Venusaur
GrassPoison
C
Tangela
Tangela
Grass
C
Exeggutor
Exeggutor
GrassPsychic
S
Jolteon
Jolteon
Electric
A

Staryu Evolutions

Staryu evolves into Starmie, but can't breed. At 355 stats as a Water type, evolution is the only path. Evolving adds up to 165 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
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
340E-Tier
520S-Tier+180
ROLE
Balanced
Sweeper
TYPE
Special
Special
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

RB Staryu Best Moveset

Water pre-evolution with 70 Special and 85 Speed. Quick but the Special can't threaten. MoveSurf and MoveThunderbolt coverage exists at reduced power. Heading toward Starmie where the stats finally matter.

Best Build

Experimental
Support
Ability
Unknown
Item
None
Best Nature for Staryu
HardyNEUTRAL

Support Moveset

  • SurfSTAB
  • ThunderboltCoverage
  • Thunder Wave
  • RecoverRecovery

Moves List

TMs define Staryu's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Hydro Pump and Surf, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Normal and Ice coverage and more. That's where the options open up.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Tackle
D3510035Normal
Lv 17
Water Gun
D6010025Water
Lv 22
Harden
D——30Normal
Lv 27
Recover
B——20Normal
Lv 32
Swift
D60—20Normal
Lv 37
Minimize
———20Normal
Lv 42
Light Screen
D——30Psychic
Lv 47
Hydro Pump
C180805Water

TM Moves

All 25 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four

TM
TM34D——10Normal
TM14
BlizzardPokémon Mansionbadge 6
A110905Ice
TM11C9710020Water
TM32
Double TeamSafari Zonebadge 3
———15Normal
TM10
Double-EdgeRocket Hideoutbadge 3
D12010015Normal
HM05D—7020Normal
TM13C9510010Ice
TM31
MimicSaffron Citybadge 5
D——10Normal
TM29
PsychicSaffron Citybadge 5
C9010010Psychic
TM46——10015Psychic
TM20
RageRoute 15badge 3
D2010020Normal
TM33
ReflectKanto Power Plantbadge 3
C——20Psychic
TM44
RestS.S. Annebadge 2
C——10Psychic
TM40
Skull BashSafari Zonebadge 4
D10010010Normal
TM50
SubstituteRocket Game Cornerbadge 3
C——10Normal
HM03
SurfSafari Zonebadge 4
B14210015Water
TM39
SwiftRoute 12 Gate 2Fbadge 2
D60—20Normal
TM09
Take DownSilph Co.badge 3
D908520Normal
TM30
Teleport-6Route 9badge 2
———20Psychic
TM25
ThunderKanto Power Plantbadge 5
D1107010Electric
TM45
Thunder WaveRoute 24badge 1
B—10020Electric
TM24B9510015Electric
TM06C—9010Poison
TM49D8010010Normal
TM12
Water GunMt. Moonbadge 1
D6010025Water

Tutor Moves

Staryu can't learn any Tutor moves

Base Stats

Base Stats
Avg
HP30
F
Attack45
D
Defense55
D
Sp. Atk70
C
Sp. Def70
C
Speed85
C
Total355
Details
Catch Rate
Easy225 / 255
Growth Rate
Slow1.25M XP
Height0.8 m
Weight34.5 kg
Base XP68
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpASpDSpe+1
Speed training source
Pokedex Entry

An enigmatic POKéMON that can effortlessly regenerate any appendage it loses in battle.

Pokemon Red / Pokemon Blue

Staryu Red & Blue Guide

  • In Red & Blue, Staryu does the job early-game if you need a Water type on your team. Evolve it into Starmie before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.

  • In Red & Blue, Staryu plays as a balanced. Speed is middling, so pick your spots carefully. Surf is the primary attack.

Game Availability

Staryu has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.

Explore

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