Aaa Spring is in the air, birds are in the air, bugs are buzzing and trees are (oh dear god) pollinating ugh. (I hate allergy season.) Anyways, speaking of getting in the mood of spring, it brings me to a brand new spotlight! I think given the blooming of flowers it’s only appropriate to cover Pokemon’s Grass starters.
There are over 95 different grass type Pokemon in the games, and a majority of them share dual typing. While it’s not as big of a category as some of the other types there is something that grass has consistently brought to the table – a starter. While a water type is more useful, and a fire type is almost always more powerful, the grass type to me has always represented balance. Often not as strong as a Charizard nor as swift as a Greninja, but tough enough to take a hit from the former and survive to do its own damage.
So as I did in Starting birds, let me break down each type then rank them.
Bulbasaur Family: one of the original three of Gen 1 and often times one of the most overlooked of the three starters, it doesn’t grow cannons on the back like Blastoise, nor does it turn into a “dragon” like Charizard. However it is one of the most consistent; balance is the name of the game when it comes to this starters. As I have mentioned before, it was Ash’s Bulbasaur I really fell in love with, along with the fact it helped stick up for weaker Pokemon and refused to change when others did. For me however its poison typing was a bit of a setback for the Pokemon, due to its weakness to the highly over-powered psychic type. The years however have been very kind to this Pokemon – with the introduction of fairy typing in gen 6 plus a new mega evolution this little one’s future is looking very bright.
Chikorita Family: I have a confession to make. While technically Bulbasaur was my first grass starter, since I chose Yellow as my first Pokemon game I didn’t really choose to play him (I collected him, not played him). So it wouldn’t be until Gen 2 that I would make my very first starter choice, and again influenced by the show I picked Chikorita which even I admit is one of the hardest starters to run in Gen 2. While I will admit right now I don’t believe I ever completed Gen 2 with Chikorita, I did run her for more than half of Johto. When you struggle so much in the early gyms, you grow fond of your starter. However despite all of this…I do admit Chikorita is one of the more forgettable starters. Like I said before, the gyms in this game actually work against this Pokemon. Bird, bug, normal, ghost, fighting, steel, ice and dragon….none of these gyms would this starter or its moveset have an advantage in. Sorry Chikorita…
Treecko Family: I honestly do not have too much experience with this particular family. Gen 3 was the generation I went with fire…but I will get to that maybe one day. This is not a bad family though, and the generation has more balanced gyms so there are opportunities to really shine. Like Chikorita, Treecko is a solid grass type, with solid grass moves. There just isn’t much that makes this starter stand out in my opinion. I had really stopped watching the show by this point so it is all personal experience and I am afraid I just don’t have it with Treecko. Hey at least he has a mega form.
Turtwig family: I have a special fondness for this family. I love turtles and this one was the very first that was a totally uninfluenced decision. Turtwig is the first dual type since Kanto, picking up the the ground typing in its final evolution Torterra. Having the ground typing can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is it makes getting through Gen 4 easy; I love multiple typing and Pokemon that can learn a variety of moves. However, it now becomes four times weak to ice types, making it not as successful in the competitive world. Still Turtwig is adorable and one of my favorite designs and I played him though not only Pearl but Platinum as well, bonding me pretty tightly to this little guy. I wait long for the day that Torterra can mega evolve!
Snivy Family: Poor Snivy, it’s not its fault that Gen 5 was the generation I drifted away from Nintendo and Pokemon. I did eventually return, and when I did Snivy was my choice. Snivy is another grass starter that I think is destined to be forgotten. Like Chikorita and Treecko it is another solid grass type. I always love Snivy’s final snake-like design; there are really not enough snake Pokemon in the game. The sad fact of the matter is that Snivy’s move pool is limited, and with pure typing there is just not much other than design going for it. I fear as we move further and further into Pokemon this family will grow to be forgotten like the other solid grass types.
Chespin family: Chespin is what happens to chipmunks when they eat too many acorns and they become one. That being said, I think poor Chespin like the rest of Gen 6 starters did not have the chance to shine in game. The reason I say this is before we even get to gym two we get to pick another starter, this time from Gen 1. On top of that, these Gen 1 starters have mega evolutions. Gen 6 starters were overshadowed in their own game, with so many old school Pokemon that I didn’t really give this one a chance. Also I want to note with Chespin that this is the fourth generation to include fighting as part of the dual typing.
Ok so that is the 6 starters, so where would I rank them from worst to best….
Snivy: I love Snivy’s design, but this starter has little going in its favor; it’s not as fast as Treecko’s family nor as defensive as Chikorita’s family. Its move pool is fairly shallow as well leaving little chance to really let this well-designed Pokemon shine.
Chikorita: another pure-blooded grass type, at least unlike Snivy its move pool is slightly deeper, and it’s the more defensive then Snivy. Still I find this starter just as forgettable as Snivy and nothing really makes her stand out to me. Its own generation fights against her as there are no gyms that really allow her to shine until the second half of Gen 2.
Chespin: Poor adorable Chespin, it could not even shine in its own game because a second starter was added. While I am generally in favor of dual typing, Chespin’s dual typing just makes it so weak to flying and psychic. While I am sure it has its pluses since almost every starter that got fighting typing did well, I just never really got to use it…sorry Chespin one day maybe.
Turtwig: I love this cute adorable starter, you guys know I love this little guy. While it rocks through Gen 4, I cannot and should not ignore the fact it’s four times weak to ice. While its move set should make up for this fact, the sad fact is that a good chunk of ice users will likely out-speed Turtwig’s final evolution before it could do any damage. However Turtwig does have access to a wide range of moves making it a diverse fighter, and unlike the later three Pokemon at least its own game Turtwig can shine in.
Treecko: While a pure-blooded grass type, Treecko has one thing the last four do not have – mega evolution. while I can honestly say I have never played this grass Pokemon, I do however acknowledge that this grass type may be the best of the three pure grass Pokemon. Like Turtwig, it does have access to a diverse move pool, however unlike Turtwig it can mega evolve, although for the life of me I cannot explain why it becomes part dragon….really now it is also 4 times weak to ice. Still the mega evolution adds a nice boost in stats.
Bulbasaur: Before mega evolution and fairy typing Bulbasaur might have been lower on the list, however now I say it’s the number one of all the grass starters. Now it has the stats, the moves and the mega evolution to take this grass starter all the way, of course game freak has also had 20 years to perfect Bulbasaur.
Well what’s your opinion? who is your favorite grass starter?
Pidgey’s family: Pidgey is probably the most famous out of all the birds on the list, well known to fans of the anime and gamers alike. Pidgey is the only bird in this group of starter birds that not only gets two evolutions (pidgeotto at 18 and pidgot at 36) but it also gets a mega evolution. That is high praise in deed, from both fans and the pokemon company to give one of the first bird types that most players run into a mega. The train doesn’t stop there either for pidgey, no this birds fan base grew even more when earlier this year Twitch played pokemon. A whole lore built around the game and Pidgey became so much more to people. it became bird jesus…the protector of the helix. I tell you out of all the starter birds here…pidgey’s fame beats all of them.
Spearow: poor forgotten and neglected Spearow. This bird was released the same generation in the same areas as Pidgey, but this guy is often neglected and forgotten for one of two reasons. One likly reason, gen one is oozing with birds and it just gets worse after. two Pidgey has two evolutions Spearow just has the one fearow. dispite all this, fearow is a really decent flyer who learns one of my favorite flying moves drill peck. This is a ferce bird type that deserves just as much love as pidgey. Sadly though…i think pidgey got a better agent.
Hoothoot: I honestly don’t have much to say about this guy, all my playthoughs in gen 2 i rocked spearow all the way though. I really can’t think of single time i really played with this guy. i will say this though, i really like owls so i have always been a big fan of the design. Its kind of sad though that this is the only instance of owls in the game. I have used this bird to breed with snorlax though, Noctowl learns zen headbutt, one of my favorite psychic moves, breeding it with a snorlax (holding a full incense) you will get a little munchlax born that knows this move. It is a difficult process but to me makes this starter bird worth having around.
Wingull: Oh wingull so cute…so damn annoying. Its only when playing oras did i remeber how annoying this bird is, and how much fun it is to electrocute the crap out of it when i run into it. Most starting birds have it rough with electric, ice and rock out to get them, but add water to the mix, wingull can’t even look at an electric pokemon with out fainting. Do not even get me started on Pelipper, I just have never been a big fan of its evolution. Sure its nice the game gives you a water type, especially since the first gym you come across is a rock type, but no.
Taillow: this is another generation 3 starting bird and honestly the better of the two. Taillow has a little more durbility then wingull ever had, but i am afraid unlike wingull if it wasn’t for ruby and sapphire rerelease this might fall into to the forgotten bird catigory. like wingull and hoothoot this little one only has a single evolution. I honestly forgot this pokemon existed until i was trying to complete my dex in Y, that is really sad, because taillow was also featured in the anime as on of ash’s pokemon. the problem here i think is its move pool is very shallow and the first three gyms where starting birds can really shine. Hoenn is just not a good place for starter birds with shallow move pools and gyms that don’t really take advantage of thes starting critters, gen 3’s starter birds just get obscured. so while design wise taillow is one of my favorites, it never really makes into a party.
Starly: in gen 2 and gen 2 the starting bird types have ranged from not choosen because there were better and more familer options there, to competly useless and forgetable. When Pearl and diamond rolled around i think many pokemon fans were looking for a change in this trend, and what we got was starly. For me at least this little bird impressed the heck out of me, staying on my team though the elite four (five). This was the first starter bird in a long while that had pretty unexpected natually learned moves. I mean it learns close combat, then it has a pretty nice arrary of teachable moves as well. Plus this little guy is tough, i played though gen 4 twice, and both times i had a starly at my side. This one is one of the few starter birds you can take to the elite four and know they will be right there till the end. This is the only one on this list, i want to have a mega evolution to.
Pidove: this derpy thing, I can’t blame its design, honestly unova is more of a city scape, and supposdily designed around good old NYC. You can’t go a block in nyc without running into a pigion, so to have one in the game espeically in gen 5 must have been a no brainer to the designers or unova. My complaint with this isn’t pidoves design even though i really hate the male design, but thats ok i primarily go female anyways. My complaint with this guy, is more to the fact given how awesome starly was in gen 4 pidove is kind of a let down. no where near as strong as its predecessors i think pidove is doomed that as the years drag on to be forgotten like little taillow and hoothoot. Unlike hoenn though, unova has a few more bird types later game, so if you havn’t ditched by then you likely will by the end of game. its design is great its just if your a player like me who has been there for every generation, to see how stater birds can excel then the following generation we return to mediocrity. poor little pidove.
Fletchling: Well we have seen it all with starting birds, from gods, to forgetable and everything in between, but until gen 6 we hadn’t seen a starting bird quite like this one. Until fletchling all starting birds were normal flying with wingull being the only exception, now we have this one that as it evolves gains fire typing. None of these birds had been featured in a story. this all changed with the latest entry into the pokemon universe. the game starts off with as i would call it a smart ass little fletchling waking up out character, and when the game closes out we see probably the same smart ass fletchling flying away, talk about a good agent, (must be using pidgys). For a starting bird fletchling is probably the most useful bird on this list, not only does it gain a fire typing, it gets flame body, making talonflame the perfect pokemon mother(or father) to what ever pokemon you might be trying to hatch. Example pick up five eggs from the breeder, fly to Luminous city to bike around in a circle, until the five hatch, (hatching faster due to flame body) then taking flying to the next city to check on your new babies potential, just to start the process over again.
Scizor: Somehow this guy always finds his way on my teams. its no secret that i like bugs i always have ever since i was a little kid, so finding a praying mantis pokemon like Scyther was a real score. In generation 2 it evolved into Scizor and with that often found a place on my team. Its a tough bug and has proven itself at my side over and over again. I know it will always be there an now with a new mega evolution i know it will continue to have my back.
Greninja: When X and Y initially came out i was on team Chespin being someone who almost always picks grass starters it seemed only natural for me to continue down this path. To say i was disappointed in little Chespin is an understatement. fortunately for me i decided to play both versions of the game, and the second go around i got to know froakie. Boy did this froggie ever make an impression on me. i named my first one Kitt after a bullfrog i had had in my youth. I have since gone on to breed a competitive one that knows the annoying to go up against but super fun when its on your side ability protean. It being a frog doesn’t hurt its case either, for me this is the stand out starter of and X-Y and you better believe when i play smash its also one of my go to characters.
Chandelure: To say i am not a big user of ghost (or fighting) types is an understatment. It in most cases is because i never really take the time to get to know them the case with most fighters there is never a design i really like. For me I have always thought myself as someone who likes to go against the crowd as well so i tend to for this reason stay away from popular and over used pokemon such as gengar. i am not really sure what it was about litwig that i really liked. For some reason it apealed to me and to be honest i wasn’t really that disappointed. In most generations Fire types are often few and far between so when you find one you stick with it, and when you find a good one you are rewarded. I have used this guy a couple of times now both in game and casual compitition and i have yet to be disappointed. A lot of generation 5 pokemon are overlooked for no good reason and Chandelure is very much a hidden gem.
Espeon and Umbreon: I always seem to cheat a bit when it comes to these two. I like most eeveelutions but for me these two are hands down my favorite. When it comes to battling however it is almost always my espeon that is by my side, back in the day it was one of the best Psychic pokemon out there, and even today a lot of other blogs and players still use this guy in competitions. I use it because it really is still to this day one of my favorite psychic pokemon, and it doesn’t hurt it reminds me of a cat. So if I use Espeon all the time, why does it share the number seven spot with Umbreon. For me Umbreon is more of an emotional attachment. Some of you know and can see in my icon a black cat, that’s my buddy blizzard, and for some reason when i see Umbreon i think of him. I can’t help it, and blue i have always loved its design even its shiny as rare as that is to find. So for me i cannot separate these two, you can’t have light with out darkness, nor darkness without light after all.
Inkay: Inkay is different then the others i have featured on this list so far. Its not really on here because of its battling skills or its ever so weird type combination, no its on here because i am completely and utterly in love with its design. I am a huge fan of squids and octopus’s so when i met Inkay in the wilds of X I fell head over heals in love with this thing. While i am not as impressed with its evolution malamar, the way it evolves is kind of fun for me too. No Inkay is one of the few pokemon who earn a spot on this list because I just think its adorable.
Torchic: remember that hiccup I just mentioned, yeah Torchic is that hiccup. How could i resist such a cute little pokemon, i mean really. Torchic would mark the first and pretty much only occasion i would wonder away from the grass starter (for the first round of play) line. This little guy has never disappointed me, with a great move pool and lets be honest so few fires to pick from in gen 3 this was my best option and never one i was disappointed in. In every game i have had this guy in, it has come though for me, sure we have lost a few times to friends but i always had a good time. Lets be honest here Blaziken Torchic final evolution just keeps getting better as the years pass, and with ORAS around the corner i look forward to kicking ass and taking names once again with my little orange chicklet by my side.
Crobat: Crobat didn’t even make the list last time, because honestly i forgot it, years away from the game i had forgotten my history with this little bat. it wasn’t until X-Y did i get a reminder of why i like this creature so much. Since i mentioned it recently in another post i will try to keep it brief. Crobat has speed, and some power behind it. more importantly its a bat, and as you guys have gotten by now i was a weird little girl who like creatures most girls did not, and one of those things were bats. So of course Zubat once again falls into the catagory of weird creatures i should like but i do so there. Crobat has earned its time in the sun and a place on my list, with a promise to never forget it again.
Lapras: this one should come as a surprise to no one who has read my blogs before, i just love this pokemon. Lapras has been at my side since the beginning and in almost every single generation i have depended on her to get me though the end of the game and the elite four. Lapras only drops to number 2 on my list because the years have not been kind to my old friend. while in game she always helps me, in the world of competitive she just has to many flaws to ignore. I am just starting to break into this world, and i would love to have my old friend at my side, but to use her would be a mistake, so i am forced to sideline her with the hopes that one day maybe with a mega Lapras will rise again.
Joltik: Yup that’s right this adorable tiny bug pokemon has unseated lapras from the number one spot. How the heck did that happen you might be wondering. after all me and lapras have had a decade with one another and this little upstart just showed up about four years ago. Well here is how it happened, as it probably quite clear to you all by now i love bugs and other weird little things, So when i met joltik about a year ago i fell instantly heads over heels in love with this thing. However unlike the ultra cute inkay, Joltik quickly set about proving its worth in my team. Its Evolution galvantula is touch and its excellent in the world of competitive. no one knows what to make of this little eletric tick, and the fact i think the generation five is so unpopular makes this little guys a bit of a surprise when the meet it. Joltik just fits all my needs for eletric, bug, grass and what ever else i need in one adorable package. In the short time i have known this little bug it has proven itself over and over in game and in the competitive field. That is why joltik has earned a number one spot on my list.
Gen II Starters: The word i used above was forgettable. There is nothing really special about these three that make them stand out. They were not by a long shot a bad pokèmon, they just pale in comparison to the other Starters.
Aipom: Big secret about me, i hate all the monkey pokèmon, i just have never found one whose design i liked and this one sadly falls in that category.
Dunsparce: i don’t really use Pokèmon that don’t evolve, i also don’t use ones that are just dex filler. This one is useless and a dex filler.
Delibird: Another Dex Filler, but at least Dunsparce can attack, Delibird only knows present which can hurt your opponent or help it…really?
Smoochum: The baby form to my nemesis jynx, there for i hate this one too!
Unown: 26 useless waste of spaces. OK maybe that is a bit harsh but they are not that strong, and i spent a while ins silver trying to catch them all only to realize i only needed one..grrr.
Entei, Suicune and Raikou: As much as they were a pain in the ass to catch, i did like these three and still do. they good all around and some of the top of there types.
Lugia: Hands down one of the best legendaries of that game my favorite legendary of all time. Its just power in a pretty package and i look forward to the day i can double battle with Lugia and Yvetal.
Ampharos: Electric was few and far between in Gold and Silver, and unlike future gens which gave us novelty electric types, gold and silver gave us one really powerful one. Hint for players using it for the first time…never stop this guy from evolving!
Mantine: Beautiful and cute, and always runner up to Lapras in my book. While Doubly weak to electric, it had a good hp and move pool. This is a little guy i have also grown to appreciate again in X-Y.
Espeon and Umbreon: These two were almost number 1, beaten out by a bug, my love for them holds no bounds probably still the best of the Eeveelutions: Little tip out their, Espeon can now learn fairy moves…take that Sylveon!
Gamerwoman 