What is the Best Starter Pokémon for Kanto?

Which starter Pokémon matches up best against the Kanto games?

I make Pokemon videos, such as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet content, Pokemon Legends Arceus content, Pokemon playthrough challenges, Top 10 or Top 5 Pokemon videos, Pokemon Talk, Pokemon Meme Review, and lots more! If you're any level of Pokemon fan, subscribe for videos you're sure to love!

#Pokemon

[Coleanimatesstuff]

It’ll also help against your rival so you’re not endlessly put to sleep or leech seeded. A super underrated benefit

[broken_icarus]

I just use fire and power my way through it. My philosophy is that, “If I can get enough Pokémon of different typings before I hit that six Pokémon limit.. I will win”

[vikasgoud]

* proceeds to still choose charmander anyway *

[triforceofcourage]

I can’t tell you how much joy it brings me to hear a grass type starter praised so highly. Poor things are typically overlooked and I hate it

[JzanderN]

Also, if you play the first generation, Bulbasaur gets some broken options such as the always critting Razor Leaf (with STAB unlike a lot of other Pokémon that have to deal with Slash), the Leech Seed/Toxic combo and Growth to get some Badge Boosts.

But more importantly yes, it's great for the early game and is still useful in the late game.

[SolarPlasma]

"You'll be fine picking any Kanto starter"

*A moment of silence for all those fallen Charmanders*

[sr.nutella]

It's also good to consider that you can get other plant pokémon really early in the game. So, while Bulbasaur makes things easier, it's less "unique" in a way

And that also applies to Squirtle (it's effective only against the first gym and weak to the third, making stuff a bit harder, but it takes a bit longer to get other water pokémon) and Charmander (it's weak to the first and second gyms making things way harder, but it also takes longer to get other fire pokemon). Which is something I love about the design of Gen 1

[aquawarper]

Bulbasaur is so underrated, it deserves more love and appreciation ❤

[rmt]

Squirtle can own Brock and Misty. Pick up a Pikachu in Veridian, and an Abra before Misty. Use a TM or HM on Abra to train it. You can also do the Mew glitch, if you want.
Soon you can grab a Meowth and Drowzee. Then grab a Gastly in Lavender Town.

[thehuntman]

"You can't just overlevel your charmander into a charizard and flamethrower Misty's pokèmon bulbasaur is better"
"Hehe, flamethrower go brr"

[tuffyify]

Back when the starters were "easy, medium, hard" difficulties for the entire game based on your choice.

[davidrummeney]

It also dies to every psychic attack, since it is poison Type. It also dies to ground and ice attacks which are often used by ground/stone types and water types which are supposed to be its good match ups. Also you bring your water type against ground and your electro Type against water. Plant Type is just bad in first gen. But helps for beginners in the early game

[aceofaces]

I know starters are meant to play a greater role in the beginning when teams aren’t complete, but there’s something to be said about a starter that is useful not only in the beginning, but also very much so in the endgame, like Squirtle. It’s super effective against Brock, resists Misty, and then learns Ice and Ground moves to steamroll the endgame of Koga, Blaine, Giovanni and Team Rocket, Bruno’s Onixs, Agatha and Lance. It only has two weaknesses that may be an issue in the mid game, but you would have options by then to handle Lt. Surge and Erica, such as an early Nidoking for Surge, and your early flyer for Erica.

[thatgayflareon]

It’s also just a cutie pie and deserves recognition as the superior starter

[melskunk]

I had a bulbasaur when I first played red because he was my favorite in the anime, and imagine my surprise when I decided to pick the grass starter in gen 2 thinking it would be equally as good and beefy 😭 he IS why I still aggressively use status effect moves tho

[FateAndFolly]

“Helps against opposing grass types”
Bro shows an exeggutor

[WittyUsername]

My boy Venusaur getting the love he deserves

[svnb.]

If you solo-run, sure take bulb, but you ignore many things in your reasoning.
1. Mankey and Bellsprout are accesable before brock. Also Nidoran with Double Kick can do.
2. In later gens, Charmander learns Metal Claw. (So in, for example, FireRed, charmander can easily deal with brock)
3. after brock the map opens up and you will build your team anyway, so for misty you will definitly have some plant type, as well as other teammembers for anything.

[superraul]

The Kanto Starters is define by the story of two tale: Charmander and Pikachu being popular and well-liked but being technically the worse options for a Kanto Playthrough. While Squirtle and Bulbasaur being not as popular and not as well-liked but being technically the best options for a Kanto Playthrough

[anthonypotamitis]

I ve always picked fire types from gen 1-4 because they looked cool even though most of the other starters are also rly cool. In most cases I wish they would give us the option to have more starter Pokémon that you can catch earlier in the game.