Choosing your first fighter in the Pocket Monsters universe is not just the start of an adventure, but a pivotal strategic decision that can influence your entire gaming journey. Each of the three Pokémon available at the outset in Pokémon FireRed—Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle—boasts unique qualities and advantages. In this article, we'll delve into each starter Pokémon's characteristics and determine which one offers the best start for a successful game.
Squirtle
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Squirtle, resembling a small turtle, comes equipped with a sturdy shell that serves multiple purposes. Beyond mere protection and rest, the shell's rounded shape and special grooves enhance its hydrodynamics, enabling Squirtle to swim at high speeds. Additionally, it can shoot precise water jets from its mouth. Despite being a Water type, Squirtle performs well on land, too.
While Squirtle has a calm nature, it can be challenging to control, making it more difficult to train than Bulbasaur but easier than Charmander. It's an excellent choice for beginners due to its high defense and balanced stats, providing a significant advantage early on by easily defeating Brock's Rock-type Pokémon and handling Misty's Water types. Squirtle's final evolution, Blastoise, boasts powerful Water attacks, high survivability, and the utility of Surf for both battling and traveling.
Squirtle's Torrent ability boosts its Water moves, and its hidden ability, Rain Dish, restores 1/16 of its health during rain. However, it struggles against Grass and Electric types, particularly against Erika and Lt. Surge, and its attacks are less powerful than Charmander's, with speed that leaves much to be desired.
Bulbasaur
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Bulbasaur, a Grass and Poison type, is a small, green creature with a distinctive bulb on its back that stores energy. This bulb allows Bulbasaur to survive without food during dry periods, and as it absorbs sunlight, it grows, signaling imminent evolution into Ivysaur when it becomes too heavy to stand on two legs.
Bulbasaur is an ideal starter for players beginning their adventure, offering balanced stats and versatility. Its types provide an edge against the first Gym Leaders, Brock and Misty. Bulbasaur's Leech Seed ability deals Damage over Time, reducing the opponent's HP gradually, while Vine Whip uses its vines to strike opponents and manipulate objects. Its hidden ability, Chlorophyll, doubles its speed in sunlight, adding to its battle advantage.
However, Bulbasaur is vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Psychic, and Flying attacks, making it weak against Pokémon like Charmander. It's not the fastest, which can be a disadvantage in battles, and its vulnerabilities become more pronounced as the game progresses, with its attacks less powerful than those of Charizard or Blastoise.
Charmander
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Charmander, a Fire type lizard, has a flame on its tail that reflects its condition: bright when strong, dim when exhausted, flickering with joy, and flaring with anger. It's believed that if this flame goes out, Charmander's life ends, but a healthy one's flame persists even in rain.
Despite being one of the most popular starters, Charmander poses early challenges. It boasts high Attack and Speed, with Fire moves effective against Grass, Ice, Bug, and Steel types. As it evolves into Charizard, it gains access to powerful moves and the ability to Mega Evolve. However, it struggles against the first Gyms: Brock's Rock types resist Fire attacks, and Misty's Water types easily defeat it. Charmander's low defense makes it vulnerable in battles.
Despite these initial hurdles, Charmander becomes a formidable ally in later stages. For players willing to tackle early challenges, Charmander offers substantial rewards as the game progresses.
Choosing Your First Pokémon: Who to Take on Your Journey?
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Each starter Pokémon has its strengths and weaknesses, making the best choice dependent on your play style. For an easy start, Bulbasaur is the go-to choice. If you relish challenges, Charmander might be your ally. For balance and versatility, Squirtle is an excellent option.
In our view, Bulbasaur emerges as the best option for a smooth progression. Its Grass type excels against the first two Gyms, providing confidence from the start. With solid Defense and Stamina, Bulbasaur is less likely to falter in battles, making it suitable even for beginners. It proves its worth early and remains valuable throughout the game.
Each starter offers unique advantages that can shape your playstyle and battle approach. Consider not only the early challenges but also your strategy for the later stages. Your choice will lay the foundation for your adventure in the Pocket Monsters world.
