3rd Gen Which starter for Fire red?

Started by Ryuzaki_Lawliet May 16th, 2008 1:45 PM
  • 2648 views
  • 43 replies
Male
Seen December 21st, 2021
Posted December 4th, 2021
472 posts
15.2 Years
Well I'll tell you this, don't bother with bulbasaur. It only helps with 2 gym leaders, and will be a drag when fighting team rocket since poison beats grass. I would go with squirtle, there aren't many other good water pokemon out there in the beginning to help.
3DS FC: 2406-5518-5103

Dunsparce

The Land Snake Pokemon

Seen January 1st, 2023
Posted July 8th, 2022
1,246 posts
17.6 Years
Blastoise is the weakest of the 3 Kanto Starters. It's well-rounded stats make it's downfall.

I'd pick Venusaur, as you can have this:

Venusaur
Adamant
Sleep Powder
Swords Dance
Sludge Bomb
Earthquake

Moltres ia a far more superior as Fire/Flying Type.

IMO, you made the right choice at not wanting Charmander.

The only Gym Leaders you'll have problems with are Sabrina and Blaine.

Brock: Super-Effective Grass Attacks
Misty: Super-Effective Grass Attacks
Lt. Surge: Grass resists Electric
Erika: Resists Grass x4. May have problems Dealing Damage, unless you use Normal-Type Moves
Koga: Watch out for random Psychic Attacks from Venonat/moth, and strike with Normal.
Sabrina: NO
Blaine: NO
Giovanni: Super-Effective Grass Attacks
Seen July 23rd, 2014
Posted February 17th, 2012
264 posts
17.9 Years
Personally even tho I am a bulbasaur fan I would pick charamander because there aren't alot of good fire types in the game I don't think and there is loads of good water and grass types around so go for charamander just make sure you caught a mankey at the start of the game so you can take out brock and make sure you caught either a pikachu or an oddish or a paras before misty and u will be alright.
Elite Four Member & Pokemon Master Trainer from the Shadows :os:
Male
Seen December 21st, 2021
Posted December 4th, 2021
472 posts
15.2 Years
But Dunsparce, you neglected any of Bulbasaur's STAB moves, like razor leaf. Be sure to leave at least 1 STAB move in his attack list. A better combo would be sunny day and solarbeam, and earthquake and sludgebomb, which is a good choice as bulbasaur is half poison.
And against Giovanni, there is still the issue of Nido queen and king.
3DS FC: 2406-5518-5103
Seen June 30th, 2010
Posted July 23rd, 2009
80 posts
15.5 Years
whatever you do, don't get squirtle. Blastoise isn't half as good as either Venusaur or Charizard. I personally like Venusaur over Charizard, especially in FireRed, cuz you can get Arcanine as a good replacement for Charizard, not to mention Moltres late in the game. FireRed actually doesn't have any really good replacements for Venusaur, Vileplume is horrible, that leaves Weezing or maybe Muk. Blastoise has several better replacements (Vaporeon, Starmie, Slowbro, Gyrados, Lapras, Dewgong and Omastar) as well as a few that are just as good (Poliwrath, Cloyster).
Seen November 9th, 2008
Posted November 9th, 2008
54 posts
15 Years
Why care if your just going through the game? Unless its a female and you can breed it, its pretty much useless because evs are everywhere. If you want a pokemon just to get through the game, pick bulbasaur, however, if you want to breed and get a good ev trained with a right nature, get blastoise/charizard. (squirtle/charmander). I don't see why this thread needs to be made.
The Night Dimension
Seen May 28th, 2008
Posted May 25th, 2008
400 posts
15.3 Years
I was thinking Charmander, but then i changed my mind. Inbetween Squirtle and Bulbasaur now, I dont know what Charmander evolves into so please tell me which one you would pick because I'm having alot of trouble! Thanks in advance!!
Honestly, it really only matters in terms of how challenging you want the game to be when you're just starting out. The first Gym uses Rock Pokémon, and the second uses Water Pokémon, so using Charmander presents the greatest difficulty. Squirtle would be medium, since Water resists Water, but Rock is weak to Water. Bulbasaur gives you the easiest journey, since both Water and Rock are weak to Grass. By the time you reach the third Gym, you should have enough Pokémon to tackle pretty much anything.

That said, I'd really only play any GBA Pokémon game in order to transfer Pokémon into Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum when it comes out through Pal Park.

Also, consider yourself fortunate if you get a female starter. That way you can breed it early without having to worry about Ditto.

Dunsparce

The Land Snake Pokemon

Seen January 1st, 2023
Posted July 8th, 2022
1,246 posts
17.6 Years
But Dunsparce, you neglected any of Bulbasaur's STAB moves, like razor leaf. Be sure to leave at least 1 STAB move in his attack list. A better combo would be sunny day and solarbeam, and earthquake and sludgebomb, which is a good choice as bulbasaur is half poison.
And against Giovanni, there is still the issue of Nido queen and king.
Sludge Bomb is a STAB Move :/

It can't learn any Decent Grass attacks in Advacnce.

Sunny Day and Solarbeam on a Grass type without an abiliy to use the sun in a n00bish strategy. *Competitive Battler*

Also, The Nido's are weak against EQ.

Eartqhuake/Sludge Bomb/Swords Dance/Sleep Powder is a common 3rd Gen Strategy. Make the Opponent fall asleep, Swords Dance up, and Sweep with it's two Physical Moves.

Dunsparce

The Land Snake Pokemon

Seen January 1st, 2023
Posted July 8th, 2022
1,246 posts
17.6 Years
Thanks. And Dunsparce, you just gave me an idea about what m future moveset will be. Or not, depending on if I get it over to Diamond sooner or later when completing the Diamond game, then I'll probobly teach it Grass Knot or some other cool new TM.
My 2 4th Gen Venusaur Sets:
Physcial:

Sleep Powder
Swords Dance
Seed Bomb
Earthquake

Special:
Sleep Powder
Growth/HP Fire, Ice
Sludge Bomb
Energy ball/Grass Knot/Leaf Storm

Physical 'saur looses Sludge Bomb but gains Seed Bomb in 4th Gen. Level up a Bublasaur to level 37 before Evolving it to get it.
Age 35
CT
Seen September 24th, 2010
Posted October 9th, 2008
23 posts
15 Years
I chose a Squirtle and has forever since been on my team, He'd wreck all your Venusaurs and Charizards >_>
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xiraiya

Future Sinnoh Champion

Age 34
Mount Silver
Seen December 21st, 2010
Posted February 10th, 2009
164 posts
15 Years
I found the game easy, it doesn't really matter which starter you choose, I had the best time using Charmander though, best starter in my opinion (just go catch a Mankey and level him enough to learn a fighting move to slaughter the first gym since Charmander is not much use there, also Metal claw Charmander learns at level 9 or so is super effective to rock as well which will be good if you never acquired a Mankey.

if you want, spend some time leveling before fighting the gym in pewter, I think I had 3 level 16's by the time I got to him.

The fact is there are enough pokemon out there who can help with gyms, and Charmander evolved just makes the game that much easier, If you can beat misty (gym 2 "water") with Charmelion then your doing alright haha.
Seen December 2nd, 2009
Posted July 17th, 2008
19 posts
15 Years
Charmander is nice. If you have D/P, you can make it to a Bellyzard or whatever along the road. He's pretty bad at the first two gyms, but as for the rest, he sweeps them.

Bulbasaur is a good choice as well. Sleep Powder is amazing. So is Poisonpowder, etc. But, really, Venasaur lacks RAW power and STAB moves.

Squirtle is my least favorable choice. He has lots of STAB moves and raw power, but faints easily. Also has trouble with like, 5 gyms.

Charmander is my vote.

xiraiya

Future Sinnoh Champion

Age 34
Mount Silver
Seen December 21st, 2010
Posted February 10th, 2009
164 posts
15 Years
Good choice, I hope you enjoy your red dragon like monster of mass fiery destruction err I mean Charmander, incase you don't know Charizard is the final form of charmander and he is quite the looker "i'd tap that" Said the female Dragonite.

I suggest you capture a Mankey east of Viridian City to pummel pewter city gym (Make sure it has learned a fighting move though)