What is the best Pokemon in Red and Blue?

Alakazam . It has 135 Special in a game where that one stat handles both Sp. Atk and Sp. Def. Faster than almost everything, and Psychic type has no real counters in Gen 1. Bug-type moves max out at 25 base power per hit, and Ghost is bugged to do nothing against Psychic instead of being super effective. Tauros is the other S-Tier staple for its Speed-based crits and Normal-type coverage.

What is the best starter in Pokemon Red and Blue?

Squirtle gives you the smoothest early game. Blastoise handles Brock, Misty is a breeze, and it picks up Ice Beam for coverage later. Your starter honestly matters less than your mid-game picks though. Nidoking from Mt. Moon before the second gym is more impactful than any starter choice. Charmander is the roughest start since it's weak to both Brock and Misty.

How does the Special stat work in Gen 1?

Gen 1 doesn't split Special into Sp. Atk and Sp. Def. One stat does both jobs. Pokemon with high Special hit hard AND tank special moves at the same time. That's why Alakazam at 135 Special is the best special attacker while also being a solid special wall. Chansey at 105 Special becomes one of the best walls in the game despite zero offensive presence.

How do critical hits work in Red and Blue?

Speed determines your crit rate in Gen 1. Faster Pokemon crit more often, and high-crit moves like Slash stack on top of that. Tauros with Slash crits almost every hit because of its 110 base Speed. Crits in Gen 1 also ignore all stat changes, letting you punch through defensive setups. That mechanic alone pushes fast Pokemon up this tier list.

Are legendary Pokemon worth using in Red and Blue?

Zapdos is the best of the three Birds and one of the strongest Pokemon in the game. 125 Special with Electric/Flying typing gives it wide coverage. Articuno and Moltres are solid but their typing is less useful defensively. Mewtwo is post-game only, locked behind Cerulean Cave after the Champion. All four rank S-Tier or A-Tier on this list.

Which version exclusives are better, Red or Blue?

Red gets Arcanine and Electabuzz. Blue gets Sandslash and Magmar. Arcanine is the standout with 110 Attack and 95 Speed, making it one of the best Fire-types available. Electabuzz is decent but Zapdos fills the Electric slot better. Most other exclusives are interchangeable between versions.

What Pokemon should you avoid in Red and Blue?

Anything that evolves late with a slow leveling curve. Dratini needs to hit level 55 for Dragonite, which means deep grinding. Onix looks good early but its stats are terrible long-term. Porygon from the Celadon Game Corner costs too many coins for what it does. And most Bug-types are dead weight since their moves are awful in Gen 1.

Pokemon Red & Blue Tier List - Best Gen 1 Pokemon

Gen 1 plays by its own rules, and the S-Tier picks prove it. Alakazam at 135 Special hits hard and tanks special moves since those stats aren't split yet. Starmie is almost as fast with Water/Psychic coverage nothing resists well. Tauros at 110 base Speed abuses the crit formula with Normal STAB and Hyper Beam. Snorlax walls everything physical. Every ranking here is Gen 1 only — no modern movepool buffs or type additions.