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Which Gen had the worst starters?

Which Gen had the worst starters?


  • Total voters
    240
68
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Oct 23, 2013
Johto for me, I didn't like their designs much and bar Totodile, they had not-so-good movepools.

Chikorita's line was clearly the worst of the bunch, Totodile's line is the only one with good moves and Cyndaquil's only advantage was for defeating the 2nd and 6th Gyms.

Also, I hated Kanto's starters cos they're overrated, especially Charizard.


I always use Chikorita, and its always easily the 1st or 2nd best pokemon on my team.

I do agree with you on that Kanto's starters are overrated.

I think, when people say that a starter is the 'worst' of its generation, you just have to be good to use it. I.E. Charmander, Chikorita, Treecko, Piplup, Snivy
 

Turboblaze

Blazing Aura
41
Posts
11
Years
The 5th gen starters seem really underpowered to me. Emboar is really the only one of the three with a diverse moveset and even then, I think it's a pretty awful Pokemon anyway.
 

Sassy Milkshake

It's ok to cry.
371
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 32
  • Seen Feb 10, 2013
Hmmm maybe third. I feel like I like all of the starters pretty much the same in every generation besides Mudkip. Swampert is just ugly. Blehh.
 

PlatinumDude

Nyeh?
12,964
Posts
13
Years
I don't have a hate for any of the generations, but I'd say Gen II. While Totodile and Cyndaquil are rather good, Chikorita isn't that good compared to both, as its typing means it can't go through the game effectively, since it's weak to Falkner, Bugsy, Morty and Pryce; most of the Pokémon Team Rocket use also resist Grass.

I never had too many problems using Emboar and Samurott in B/W.
 
8,571
Posts
14
Years
I was tempted to say 5th Gen, but I did have a little success with Samurott, so the Gen II starters are probably my least favorite. I realized that I've gone through with each of Gen II's starters, and none of them really made much of an impact. Even back when I was playing Gold for the first time, my starter (Totodile, I believe) was kicked off my team as soon as I found something better to replace it. I actually like their designs, but I just never cared to use any of them.
 

Synerjee

[font=Itim]Atra du evarinya ono varda.[/font]
2,901
Posts
11
Years
I don't really like the 3rd generation's starters. They are great in battle and all, especially Mudkip, but their looks weren't really my type. Perhaps this bias resulted from me not being as familiar with them as with the other generations. Oh well.
 
866
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Jul 16, 2014
Its Gen V for me because i didn't really use the starters as much as i used them in previous Gens.
 

Treecko

the princess without voice
6,316
Posts
12
Years
I would say Gen IV because they don't stand out to me as much. Piplup's alright and cute, and I love Turtwig, but it's Chimchar that I don't like the most.
 

RichterSnipes

Not even a nibble...
513
Posts
12
Years
  • Age 30
  • USA
  • Seen Dec 1, 2023
Based on my actual opinion, I think the 4th Gen had the "worst" starters. None of them had that special charm that screamed, "Wow this guy is cool/cute! It'll be awesome training it for a long time."

In terms of actual usability, though, I'd have to say that the 2nd Gen starters are the worst. None of them have much versatility, and their stats don't exactly compliment their learnable moves real well.
 

Sableye~

Back to PC~
4,016
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Jan 4, 2018
Pffft Sinnoh.
Diamond was my first game but I still don't like the starters. :T I mean really. A huge turtle with a tree on its back...a monkey with armor that's on fire...and a weird penguin.

No offense intended to those who like them.
 

Mononoke Hime

viva emptiness
253
Posts
11
Years
Actually, in 4th gen I only really like to use torterra, and it's the last evolution of an ugly pokemon.
Chimchar and pliplup are ridiculous.

And I must admit that 5th gen has a trumph card which is serperior line imo, so it's least worse than the 4th.
 
Last edited:
2,305
Posts
13
Years
  • Age 25
  • Seen Dec 16, 2022
I'm going to sound like a killjoy here, but I really don't like or care for the gen 1 starers. I think they are massively overexposed and overshadow better and cooler Pokemon like Dunsparce. Bulbasaur is just a weird salamander with a bulb on it's back and evolves into a nastly rafflesa. Charmander is really quite a annoying pokemon and Charziard is really overrated. (Charmeleon is kind of cool though.)

However, I am a huge fan of the Squirtle line. I think they are very well rounded and I like how they aren't just some sort of generic fire dragon thing like Charziard.
 

loucas

100% hot
245
Posts
14
Years
i voted gen 5, but i don't necessary hate em all, i liked serperior's design, what i hate is samurott's design (doen't seem to work), i like emboar but he's lacking stat-wise.
 

Bounsweet

Fruit Pokémon
2,103
Posts
16
Years
  • Seen Sep 17, 2018
I voted for Gen IV just because I've never entertained the thought of using Chimchar or Turtwig, ever.

Gen V is a hugely close second though, because battle-wise they're all horrible. Aesthetically though, I like using them all. To me they're a jack of all trades, master of none bunch ^^;

Gen I is mediocre to me, I like them all but they got a bit old.

Gen II is pretty good to me, I only use Chikorita but I've used the others in the past and enjoyed all play throughs with them.

Gen III is my absolute favorite. They have the best starters, Sceptile is pretty bad but I still like using it once in a while, and Blaziken and Swampert are just plain beastly.
 

wilso

Grass Master
100
Posts
14
Years
its kinda hard to chose really close are gen 2 and 5 because i only like 1 starter from them gens (totodile/snivy) but im gonna go with gen 3 mainly because i despise mudkip >.<
 
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