3rd Gen "Hey! Wait! Don't go out! It's unsafe!"

[Hiatus]

In FireRed and LeafGreen, similarly to Red, Blue, and Yellow, you start off your journey in Pallet Town, and when you're about to visit Route 1, you're immediately stopped by Professor Oak, saying that it's unsafe to go out as wild Pokémon reside there and whatnot.

Later, you're taken to his lab, and after some chit-chat, you get the chance of receiving either Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle. Now, when it came to this, which did you wind up choosing, and why? Were you satisfied with your selection? Did you nickname your Pokémon? Also, throughout the game, what would be some good experiences that you've had with them?

 

[Yato]

When I first played FR, I went with Charmander; when I first played LG, I went with Bulbasaur. I was definitely satisfied with both because I love them a lot, plus my Charizard kicked ass XD I don't think I nicknamed either, though that was back in my non-nicknaming days. If I were to pick up the games again, I'd still go with the same two, but would nickname them since now I feel odd not nicknaming Pokemon I plan to use/like XD I have restarted the games since and have usually gone with both, but I've also picked Squirtle. Plus, since my first time playing the games, I never got really far, orz

As for experiences, since it was so long ago I really can't remember anything except my Charizard being really useful when fighting the Pokemon League.

 

[Imperator161]

I chose Squirtle in LG because Blastoise is my favorite Pokemon and because I chose Squirtle in Red. I wasn't disappointed, but I knew I wouldn't be from the start. In fact, the thing I was most excited about in FRLG was getting to have my starter Blastoise again, so I knew I'd be satisfied. I nicknamed my Squirtle the same thing I nickname all of my starters, which also matches my character's name, out of tradition.

It's been a while, and my Blastoise wasn't as useful in LG as it was in Red (since it wasn't the only Pokemon I used), but it certainly helped out in battles, and it was an excellent surfer, too.

Although I have to wonder: If my character couldn't leave town without a Pokemon, and he didn't have one until he turned ten or so (or however old they're supposed to be in this game), was he just trapped in town for the first decade of his life? There's no indication that his mom had a Pokemon (though I guess there's no way you could know), but given the fact that there's pretty much nothing in Pallet Town, it would have been necessary to leave at some point. I guess the game just glosses over that.

 

[Bounsweet]

I've used every starter in FRLG several times because I always restart games, but I remember I bought FireRed first and I chose Charmander. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever that it could learn Metal Claw at level 13 and it saved my butt when I battled Brock :b

Since then, I had a tendency to pick the other two in my replays, but almost exclusively Bulbasaur lately.

 

[pokem0nprincess]

With LeafGreen, I played with Squirtle. Still my fave Kanto starter and always will be. With FireRed I chose Bulbasaur, but I traded it away immediately and went without a starter - instead using Growlithe and Poliwag as my "starters." No regrets.

 

[Hiatus]

In my first run of FireRed version, I wound up going with Charmander. It seemed very adorable to me, and I was simply a huge Charizard fan back then. Its gender was male, I believe, and so for nickname, I don't believe I had given it any, sadly. If I were to, though, then it most likely would have been Fire Lizard, as this is what I used to call my Charizard in Pokémon Silver version. In my second run, I chose Squirtle, and was very satisfied; it made an amazing tank. Of them all, I suppose I feel more comfortable stalling with Blastoise. Finally, in my third run, it was Bulbasaur.

 

[Aether★]

Feels kinda tedious to answer those kinds of questions again and again and again every once in a while.

As I love fire types, I usually pick up Charmander. Charizard is in my top 10 all time favorites and I simply adore how it looks and it's moves, I can make him physical or special or mixed (in-game wise of course). I only choose Bulbasaur if I want to beat the game faster and If i want to use Vulpix as a fire type, but only in Leaf Green, otherwise it's all about Charmander.

 

[LusoTrainer]

IIRC, in FireRed/LeafGreen I finally picked Bulbasaur because unlike in Red/Blue, it now had a well designed sprite and faithful to Sugimori's artwork.

I also never nickname my Pokémon, never did in any game I played.

 

[Charizard :P]

The first time I played Firered, I instantly chose Charmander, thus making it my first Pokémon ever. My 6 year old self thought it's design was pretty cool compared to the other starters. I had a hard time at the beginning, going through Brock easily with Metal Claw but had a hurling stop at Misty, and I kept thinking I made the wrong choice with choosing it. I finally managed to beat Misty, and as I progressed further into the game, it evolved into Charizard. I was amazed by it, It was always the strongest on my team, It instantly became my favourite Pokémon after that, and it still is. But if I had to choose Another starter, I'd choose Bulbasaur. Venusaur is a tank!

 

[Itcheeee]

I got Firered first and Chose Squirtle, he is my favorite of the Kanto starters, and the most helpful to get through the game for me. I use Surf the most anyway. Love having important HMs on my starter, who I always keep on my team. Fly can always go to so many different birdies so...:P
Later I got another Firered to choose Charmander and get Pokemon I didn't get in my first (choice Pokes, good(or dumb :P ) excuse to use another eeveelution on my team)
And most recently got Leafgreen to get exclusives and choose Bulbasaur, my second favorite Kanto starter :3 Still waiting until it's been a long enough time from my last FR playthrough so it won't feel too terribly boring. I'll just enjoy my Bulba and using Vulpix (finally!) P:

 

[DorkyGirl]

I pick Squirtle because Water types and Poison types are my favorites. The first time I played firered I didn't evolve my squirtle and when I challenged the Elite Four I had a level 72 Squirtle and every other pokemon were in their 40's. Since then I let it evolve and it totally kicks but against the Elite Four and everyone along the way. I always nickname every pokemon I catch.

 

[Sheep]

Bulbasaur in my first playthrough of LG iirc. Love him so much even if he can be a bit tough to use at certain points. <3 But he sure was useful in the first three gyms.

Squirtle later on because dhghfhg Wartortle is awesome. Haven't chosen Charmander much as I've sadly never been a Charizard fan.

 

[Kelton2]

I just started a new LeafGreen playthrough, and I chose Squirtle. I never pick Charmander because it's weak to the first gym, but in X I picked Charmander because I like Charizard, its mega evo, and I needed something against grass types.

 

[Guardian]

I always took Charmander. Although it's a bit funny cos I have memories and nostalgia connected to all three of them,. but most of my love goes to Charizard. Best starter ever. :D

 

[Altairis]

I'm literally incapable of picking any starter but Charmander. I've only played LeafGreen twice, I believe, so it's not like I picked Charmander a thousand times, but still. Not even just in FRLG, but any other time I had the choice between any of the Kanto starters I would always go with Charmander. I would say to myself, "Alright, this time I'm using Squirtle." but as soon as I got to the selection screen - suddenly I was the proud new trainer of a Charmander. Charizard is one of my favorite Pokemon and I think the line just has a really great design. It just stands so far above the other Kanto starter lines for me.

 

[Sylphiel]

Only played Leaf Green the once (and still have that save file), but I went with Bulbasaur as my choice. The biggest reason is that it's always been my favorite line of the original starters; I might not be as fond of Venusaur as I am of its previous evolutions, but still like it more than the other final-stage starters. Okay, that's not entirely fair, I guess Charizard does win a few cool points from me, but eh...I would still rather go with Venusaur. I like the weird plant dinosaur thing, what can I say.

I named it Sedge. I needed a good plant-related name for a male Bulbasaur, and that one seemed to fit it well.

 

[Sun]

I love their designs, on the competitive aspect I prefer Charmander's though. :(
I recall restarting and trading off the starters in order to get all the Kanto starter trio.

 

[Hikamaru]

I think that in the brief time I played Leaf Green, the starter that save file had was Squirtle. Kanto's starters are always memorable to the majority of Pokemon fans, regardless of when they started and each has their uses. I personally like Bulbasaur and Squirtle better of this trio but that's not to say Charmander was a useful battler as well.

 

[Pave Low]

The first time I made this choice, I picked Charmander because it looked cooler and my insticts as a little kid led me to make this choice. However, as strong as Charizard is, I've always favoured Blastoise over the other two. Venusaur has never really been in contention because I hugely dislike it's design. Squirtle is probably my favourite of the 3 starters, Wartortle my favourite of the next stage evolutions and Blastoise my favourite of the final stage evolutions. Therefore, deciding which my favourite is of the 3 is pretty obvious.

 

[Brendino]

In my original playthrough of FireRed, I went with Bulbasaur as my choice (while it's been a while since I played that file, I'm pretty sure I nicknamed it Zaura). Funny enough, the Bulbasaur line is actually my least favorite of the Kanto starter trio, but I knew I'd have no problem getting Charizard/Blastoise through trade, so I was happy to take Bulbasaur with the goal of completing my Pokedex.