With Nine Generations, each of which introduces three starter every time, (along with Pokemon Yellow and Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee) we have 29 starters and counting to choose fꦕrom. Every starter has its fans and some easily have far more fans than others. But whether they’re Grass, Fire, Water, or something else, and no matter the t🐻yping of their final evolution, they’re rockstars.

Today, we’ll take a quick look at ten starter Pokemons’ final evolutions through a very particular lens - their strength. Strength can be measured in myriad ways, but what we’re looking for are the ten best-destined for the big leagues - postgame challenges, online matches, even competitive tou𓆏rnaments.

Our rankings are reflective of the current metagame as of mid-2024, following the launch of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s second major DLC, ‘The Indigo Disk’.

As such, you may find a few notable surprises - and surꦿprising omissions.

Updated August 14, 2024, by Andrew Scariati: The best starter Pokemon conversation in the competitive scene is constantly shifting, with each Generation's newest debutants frequently featuring home-field advantage in the form of the Generation's signature mechanic. Terastallizing changed the game yet again, as we've added three new contenders for the best starter Pokemon crown.

10 Serperior

Serperior, long lamented as upsettingly weak within Pokemon Black & White, and rarely seen on any ‘serious-minded’ teams, is now a force to be reckoned with. Its Contrary ability, which raises its targeted stat when hit with a debuff whil꧋e lowering it when hit with a buff, has long been heralded as strategically viable.

It’s other things, like relatively modest base stats and a rough move ꦜpool, that🎉 have held it back.

Leaf Storm has gotten loads of mileage recently, and for good reason at that. Ordinarily, this 130 Base Power Special Attack move lowers the user’s Special Attack stat by two levels as a penalty for its excellent damage-dealing. You can see how Contrary kicks in to make thin𝄹gs groovy for our Grass-type friend.

Toss in 🏅a Hiddeꦇn Power move that provides the kind of coverage that’ll keep your opponent on edge - like Hidden Power Fire - and if you can handle Serperior’s typing-related frailty, you’ve got it going on.

9 Venusaur

Long overshadowed in the minds of millions by its tyrannical Fire-starter friend Charizard, Venusaur has quietly crept into a position of formidable might. With a decent array of resistances, a natural proclivity toward survival - even havinꦦg it hold a Life Orb, which drains a tenth of its HP after every attack in exchange for amping those attacks up by an additional 30 percent - it can keep its HP topped off via Giga Drain♐.

Chlorophyll synergizesꦅ superbly with Sunny Day, dou𒅌bling Venusaur’s speed under the weather condition.

You can either slot your EVs into something other than Speed, relying upon Sunny Day to make your pal swift, or you can make your pal ridiculously swi🅷ft by boosting that further with🔜 252 EVs in the stat.

8 Hisuian Samurott ಌ ܫ

Though the traditional Samurott is by no means bad, it’s Pokemon 🔯Legends: Arceus’ Hisuian variant that’s brought this sea lion into stardom. With Sharpness, all ‘slicing moves’ have their power amplified by 50 percent. Excellent news for Razor Shell, a 75 Base ౠPower Water-type move jacked up to 113 or so that has a one-in-two chance of lowering the opponent’s Defense as well.

Ceaseless Edge lays the ever-reliable Spikes obstacle at your foe’s feet,ꦡ thwarting switch-outs with hazard damage that can put a real wrench in your opponent’s plans. Consider putting Hisuian Samurott on your front line to dish out as much damage as possible e﷽arly on; it’s hardly the stalling sort.

7 Rillaboom

The days of Pokemon Sword & Shield’s domination are behind us, but two of its starters still reign supreme. Rillaboom combines the Speed-lowering Attack move Drum Beating with a 125 Base Attack stat (given the 252 EV boost, 🅺of course) lets this reasonably bulky gorilla do great things.

While Rillaboom is a pure Grass-type, it can make the most of that Attack to give you coverage oღf various Fighting- and Ground-type moves like Drain Punch, Brick Break, and the forever-mighty Earthquake.

6 Skeledirge 🍬 🍬

Fire/Ghost is a great type combo, and Skeledirge wields it wel💯l. It’ll take some hits with relative ease, toss Special Attacks out with just as much pizazz, and Heavy-Duty Boots will mess with anyone w🃏ho relies on hazards (like the aforementioned Spikes) to turn the tide in their favor by negating them outright.

Make sure yours has Unaware.

The Unaware ability causes Skeledirge to remain ꩲblissfully ignorant of any stat changes on the field, so you can shut down ridiculously amped-up enemies, k✤eeping things on an even keel.

Keep your Skeledirge hale and hearty with Slack 🎃Off to restore its HP by half when used, and keep the pressure on with the Fire-type Torch Song and Ghost-type Shadow Ball or Hex. If you need some Fairy coverage, Skeled𒅌irge has access to Alluring Voice, and if you want to synergize a Sunny Day for other teammates (like Venusaur), you can shoot one off with this crocodile.

5 Greninja

Greninja’s list of abilities is, frankly, an embarrassment of riches. Torrent pumps up Water attacks when its HP is low, Protean shifts its type to the type of move it uses once per switch-in, and Battle Bond elevates its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed upon defeꦛating a foe. If we’re pressed here, we’d say we wrote these down in order of increasing usefulness, but you can make any of ☂them work with the right setup.

Th🐟at said, good luck actually getting a Battle Bond Greninja. They’re tied to Pokemon Sun & Moon’s demo, which is no longer available for download.

If you’re confident with your game plan, equip your Greninja with Choice Specs to rev up the first move it uses upon switch-in at the expense of losing access to the other three moves. If you’re not so confident, give it a Life Orb instead, which will provide a slightly slimmer boost at the cost of 10 percent of its HP per hit. Whatever you hook it up with for attacks, you’ll have great Water, Dark, and Ic🥀e offensive coverage a💝t your disposal, and the Speed stat to hit hard and fast.

4 Primarina

This168澳洲幸运5开奖网: fantastic Water-type starter commands the spotlight as an ex🦹cellent Special option, boasting formidable Special Attack and Special Defense to compleme🎃nt its powerful offensive moves.

Primarina can even make an argument as 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:one of the best Fairy-type Pokemon, given its reliance ℱon powerful moves like Moonb🐼last.

Primarina is an excellent attacking choice, whether you need it as a Water or Fairy-type option, Primarina's varied moveset and a good numbe🅷r of resistances make it a decently bulky Pokemon, despite a glaring weakness against Physical Attacks.

3 Cinderace

Cinderace was so terrific in the days of Sword & Shield that it cracked the ‘OU’ (Overused) ceiling to achieve ‘Uber’ status. That’s kind of wild. Its Libero ability is much like Greninja’s Protean, givin💛g it the benefit of STAB for whatever move it uses once per sw🀅itch-in.

This gives it STAB on stuff like High Jump Kick (Fighting), Zen Headbutt (Psychic), Gunk Shot (Poison), and U-turn (Bug) - an incredible spread.

Pyro Ball is Cinderace’s signature move, with 120 Base Power, a ten percent chance at inflicting Burn, and if that’s not enough, it’s got an amazing animation, too. Court Change shifts terrain effects from your enemy’s side to yours, putting a substantial wrinkle in whatever it is the other Trainer is thinking (and likely completely ruining what any in-game opponent is ‘thinking’, for that🎃 matter).

2 Me✅owscarada ♚

Meowscarada is undoubtedly the best new Grass-type introduced in Pokemon Scarlet & V💞i𝓰olet, boasting a fantastic ▨stat spꦜread, highlighted by 123 Speed to keep it one step ahead of its foes.

Although its defenses are low, Meowscarada can do plenty of damage with powerful moves like Flower Trick, which will critically hit opponents, ig🐷noring their defenses.

While it can't endure a strong hit, Meowscarada can survive with a Focus Sash if it doesn't take out the opponent in one turn. Luckily, Focus Sash gives Meowscarada th𝓰e ability to clean up any s🃏tragglers – just avoid Trick Room sets or have a counter prepared.

1 🦹 Incineroar 🅠

Incineroar is an excellent pivot Pokemon that can play the role of a supporter when outfitted with the proper mo🎃veset.

This incredible Pokemon has been a persistent force in the Pokemon VGC metagame since its introduction, boasting Intimidate to lower your 🎐foes' Attack on entry to go along with Incineroar's other qualities.

Parting Shot is an excellent move that gives Incineroar the🎃 flexibility to decimate the opposing team's ability to inflict damage by lowering their Attack and Special Attack while retreating at the same time. Combine this with moves like Knock Off or Will-O-Wisp to leave the opposing Pokemon defenseless as you prepare to finish them off.