When I say starer Pokemon, a few names pop up. You know, the regular ones, Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur. These three were just the first starters among all seven generations. There are new starters in every generation and this article will name the 10 best.
1. Charmander
Charmander is a bipedal, reptilian Pokemon with a primarily orange body and blue eyes. Its underside from the chest down and the soles of its feet are cream-colored. It has two small fangs visible in its upper jaw and two smaller fangs in its lower jaw. A fire burns at the tip of this Pokemon’s slender tail and has blazed there since Charmander’s birth.
The flame can be used as an indication of Charmander’s health and mood, burning brightly when the Pokemon is strong, weakly when it is exhausted, wavering when it is happy, and blazing when it is enraged. It is said that Charmander dies if its flame goes out. However, if the Pokemon is healthy, the flame will continue to burn even if it gets a bit wet and is said to steam in the rain.
It evolves into Charmeleon starting at level 16, which evolves into Charizard starting at level 36.
2. Mudkip
Mudkip is a small, amphibious, quadruped Pokemon. It has a blue body with a light-blue underside. It has a large head with a blue fin on top and a light-blue tail fin. It has black, beady eyes and orange, star-shaped gills on its cheeks.
By using the fin on its head, Mudkip is able to detect changes in air and water currents as well as bodies of water. Its fin can also point in a certain direction, as seen in the anime. Mudkip is capable of moving or crushing boulders larger than itself. Its large tail fin propels it through water with powerful acceleration.
According to its Pokemon Ranger browser entry, Mudkip is a very docile Pokemon. Mudkip lives in swamps and other wetlands, where it sleeps by burying itself in soil at the water’s edge. It evolves into Marshtomp starting at level 16, which evolves into Swampert starting at level 36.
3. Cyndaquil
Cyndaquil is a small, bipedal Pokemon with bluish fur on top of its body and cream-colored fur on its underside. Its eyes are usually seen closed, and it has a long, thin snout. Its arms are short, but its legs are slightly more developed and have a single nail on each foot. On its back are four red circles that can erupt into flames.
When the flames are burning, its back seems to be covered in spines. Cyndaquil is capable of defending itself using these flames, and the fire grows more powerful as it becomes angry or defensive. However, if it is tired, the flames are not able to burn properly. It is usually timid by nature and often curls into a ball when intimidated. Though rare in the wild, it can be found living on grasslands.
It evolves into Quilava starting at level 14, which evolves into Typhlosion starting at level 36.
4. Squirtle
Squirtle is a small Pokemon that resembles a light blue turtle. While it typically walks on its two short legs, it has been shown to run on all fours in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It has large, purplish or reddish eyes and a slightly hooked upper lip. Each of its hands and feet have three pointed digits.
The end of its long tail curls inward. Its body is encased by a tough shell that forms and hardens after birth. This shell is brown on the top, pale yellow on the bottom, and has a thick white ridge between the two halves.
Squirtle’s shell is a useful tool. It can withdraw into the shell for protection or to sleep. The grooved, rounded shape helps to reduce water resistance when this Pokemon swims. Squirtle can spray foamy water from its mouth with great accuracy.
Squirtle is scarce in the wild, although it can be found around small ponds and lakes. The anime has shown that it can be found living on secluded islands with other members of its evolutionary line. In the past, Skull Bash was its signature move. It evolves into Wartortle starting at level 16, which evolves into Blastoise starting at level 36.
5. Bulbasaur
Bulbasaur is a small, quadruped Pokemon that has blue-green skin with darker patches. It has red eyes with white pupils, pointed, ear-like structures on top of its head, and a short, blunt snout with a wide mouth. A pair of small, pointed teeth are visible in the upper jaw when its mouth is open.
Each of its thick legs ends with three sharp claws. On its back is a green plant bulb, which is grown from a seed planted there at birth. The bulb provides it with energy through photosynthesis as well as from the nutrient-rich seeds contained within.
As mentioned in the anime, starter Pokemon are raised by Breeders to be distributed to new Trainers. Having been domesticated from birth, Bulbasaur is regarded as both a rare and well-behaved Pokemon. It is known to be extremely loyal, even after long-term abandonment.
Bulbasaur has also shown itself to be an excellent caretaker, even having a special technique called the “Bulba-by.” To perform this technique, Bulbasaur uses its vines to pick up a young Pokemon and soothingly rocks it in the air.
It is found in grasslands and forests throughout the Kanto region. However, due to Bulbasaur’s status as starter Pokemon, it is hard to come by in the wild and generally found under the ownership of a Trainer.
It has been observed that a Bulbasaur’s bulb will flash blue when it is ready to evolve. If it does not want to evolve, it struggles to resist the transformation. Many Bulbasaur gather every year in a hidden garden in Kanto to evolve into Ivysaur in a ceremony led by a Venusaur.
6. Treecko
Treecko is a small, green, bipedal reptilian Pokemon. It has yellow eyes with long, narrow pupils. Treecko’s hands and feet each have three digits covered with tiny spikes. These spikes allow it to scale vertical walls with ease. Its stomach and throat are red. It also has a line across on its stomach resembling a pouch.
Treecko has a large, dark green tail with two separate lobes that it uses to sense humidity. This ability allows it to predict the next day’s weather.
Treecko is a bit of a rarity in the wild, and is more common in captivity. However, when in the wild, Treecko lives inside overgrown forests. It makes its home in tall trees, and will attack anyone that comes near its nest.
Because of its territorial nature, it is known to be the protector of the forest’s trees. Treecko is known for its calm and collected personality. It will never panic under any circumstances, even when faced with a bigger foe. It evolves into Grovyle starting at level 16, which evolves into Sceptile starting at level 36.
7. Torchic
Torchic is a small, chick Pokemon with stubby, downy, yellow wings. Its body is covered with orange feathers. There is an orange and yellow crest on its head that resembles a flame. Its two thin legs and short beak of are a light brownish yellow, and the feet have three toes in front and one in the back. A male Torchic will have a small black speck on its rear that is not present in females.
Somewhere in its belly, this Pokemon has a place where it keeps a flame. This internal flame causes Torchic to feel warm if hugged. When attacked, it will shoot fireballs of 1,800 °F (1,000 °C) at its foes, leaving them scorched black. It dislikes darkness, as it cannot see its surroundings. Torchic will follow its Trainer with unsteady steps. While Torchic is rarely found in the wild, it is known to inhabit grasslands.
It evolves into Combusken starting at level 16, which evolves into Blaziken starting at level 36.
8. Oshawott
Oshawott is a bipedal sea otter-like Pokemon. It has a spherical white head with small, triangular dark-blue ears on the sides. Oshawott’s eyes are dark and its dark orange nose is shaped like a horizontal oval. Several freckles cover its cheeks which may be premature whiskers, and two pointed teeth can be seen when it opens its mouth.
The light blue fur on its body forms bubble shapes around its neck. Its arms are white and rounded, while its feet are dark blue with three toes each. It also possesses a rudder-like dark blue tail. It carries a pale yellow seashell called a “scalchop” on its belly. This shell is made of the same material as its claws, and is used for both battle and cracking hard berries.
It evolves into Dewott starting at level 17, which evolves into Samurott starting at level 36.
9. Piplup
Piplup is a light-blue, penguin-like Pokemon, which is covered in thick down to insulate against the cold. It has a dark blue head with a primarily white face and a short, yellow beak. The dark blue feathers on its head extend down its back and around its neck, which causes it to appear to be wearing a cape.
There are two white ovals on its chest and a small, light-blue marking resembles a crown above its beak. It has flipper-like arms and yellow feet with three toes each.
Piplup has a strong sense of self-pride. Because of its pride, it has a hard time accepting food from humans and bonding with its caretakers. It will even puff out its chest after it falls down, which it often does due to its poor walking abilities. However, it is a skilled swimmer that can dive for over ten minutes in order to hunt. It has also been shown to fly short distances in the anime. It lives along the seashore in colder climates.
It evolves into Prinplup starting at level 16, which evolves into Empoleon starting at level 36.
10. Totodile
Totodile is a bipedal, crocodilian Pokemon with well-developed jaws. It has red eyes with ridges above them, black markings around its eyes, and several sharp teeth. On its chest is a yellow, V-shaped marking that extends to its arms; there is a thin line through the center of the marking. Totodile has five fingers and three toes.
Down its back is a row of three red spines with a small, red ridge on either side. The tip of its tail has a single red spine as well. Totodile tends to be playful by nature and has a habit of biting anything it sees, including its Trainer. However, its jaws are capable of crushing anything, so it sometimes causes serious injuries. In the wild, it prefers to live along the edges of bodies of water.
It evolves into Croconaw starting at level 18, which evolves into Feraligatr starting at level 30.
