This article compares the classic starters of the first generation: the Finfish, the Charmander, the Squirtle and the Pikachu from two points of view. The first is its usefulness throughout the basic story of the game. The second is its use in competitive games.
Fusigidane
From the beginning, the type of grass and poison is advantageous over the first 4 stadiums (stone, water, electricity, grass), and then against the 8th (earth). He has problems with mental and fiery stadiums, and partly with poison stadiums.
Like most grass Pokemon, he specializes in giving status to opponents (sleep, addiction, paralysis,…While slowly taking their lives. So, it should be borne in mind that while it is a very suitable starter for the story, more powerful attacks will be learned only later.
As for competitive games, here unfortunately, its toxic type is a major obstacle. It gives him weakness against mental attacks, which is less appreciated in this generation dominated by mental pokemon like Starmie and Slowbro. I do not recommend it to competitive players.
Charmander
is probably the most popular starter and starts as a fiery Pokemon to eventually become a fiery/flying type. Unfortunately, it has a weakness against the first 2 stadiums (stones and water). There are advantages over grass and partially poisoned stadiums, as they also use beetles/poisoned Pokemon as Venomoth.
His specialty is speed and strength, but at the expense of lower lives and defenses. The goal is to hit your opponent fast and hard before he hits you. For the story, it\’s probably the worst starter, at least until the beginning.
Unfortunately, he does not shine much in competitive play. This is due to his fire/flight type, which gives him immunity to Earth attacks, but also gives him a double weakness against electricity weakness and stone attacks. And given that pokémon like Rhydon and Golem are fairly common, it\’s not exactly the best choice. Still, when it comes to competitive games, he is better than Fusigidane.
Squirtle
Squirtle always remains a pure water type. This gives him an advantage over the first stadium, a relative advantage over the 2nd stadium (the water attack on him is not very effective), a weakness against the 3rd and 4th. It also has an advantage over the stadium of fire.
Its role is to be a tank, that is, able to withstand several hits, while opponents are eliminated by powerful water attacks. He is the best starter in the story.
Unfortunately, even Squirtle doesn\’t have a bed of roses in competitive play. His pure aquatic type, which helps him in the story, paradoxically brings him back here. Here, the Water Pokemon is also dominated by spiritual people – Starmy and Slowbro.
Pikachu
This is a purely electric type. Only easy to him: in the yellow version, he can not develop into a stronger Reich. The advice is 1: Do not use it, as soon as possible replace it with another, more capable Pokemon.
When it comes to competitive games: the same advice. He is too weak.
So, it will be the evaluation of the original starter. And which one do you choose?
