Pokemon Research Proves Squirtle To Be Best Starter

Spaceman Spiff

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Sep 23, 2013
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Charmander for life. Sure the first two gyms were tougher to get through, but that made them that much more satisfying when I finished them.
 

Dragonbums

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May 9, 2013
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That's... a dumb conclusion.


I like Charmander, but even the game admits to Bulbasaur being the easiest to choose.

Just as many gyms are either neutral or against it. It learns a variety of spore moves that inflict ailments on other Pokemon, and they have a lower experience level cap. Meaning that they level up much faster. Which is really important in Pokemon stories.
 

Lieju

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Jan 4, 2009
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Meh, Squirtle is fine, but it's no Zubat.

Kanto starters were the ones where I've always liked all of them equally. I tend to like the starters anyway, though.
I've most often gone for the fire-type, though, because of how rare they tended to be.
Water and grass on the other hand were often over-represented, and Bulbasaur is also Poison, which makes it in Kanto just another of over-represented type.

Still, why not trade and have all in your team? That's what I did in my Lv 100 super-team back in Red.
 

hazabaza1

Want Skyrim. Want. Do want.
Nov 26, 2008
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I think we all knew this regardless. Those who say otherwise simply do not have the mental capability to realize how wrong they are.

Fools.
 

Megacherv

Kinect Development Sucks...
Sep 24, 2008
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Easton Dark said:
Grass type is the only answer.

Leech Seed/poison powder. It's the only true way.

Also, Treecko confirmed to be better than Bulbasaur.
One can't argue with this, although sadly it's not as effective nowadays.
 

zz_

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Jul 15, 2010
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Is this really news? I mean there's a reason why every speedrun of every pokemon game where it's available chooses Squirtle as the starter.

Research paper or not he basically just wrote something down that people calculated years ago.
 

Gabanuka

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Oct 1, 2009
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I think every is forgetting the true best starter



Its a chicken. WHICH KICKS PEOPLE!
 

commasplice

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I still stand by my assertion that bulbasaur is an overpowered pokemon in Gen I, largely because of the way special attacks worked in GI. See, there were no Special Attack or Special Defense stats; they were originally one stat called "Special." So, the higher your Special, the more damage you'd do with special attacks, and the less damage you'd take from special attacks.

Well, in GI, what determined whether a skill was special or not wasn't an individual designation for the move, like in later generations, but the type of the move. If it was fire, it was ALWAYS a special move. In GI, bulbasaur happens to, first of all, be primarily a grass type attacker (which is a special type), and second of all, primarily weak to special type moves (with the exception of bug and flying). Bulbasaur could also learn Growth, which raises the user's Special stat. So, bulbasaur (and its evolutions) could, in one shot, raise its primary attack stat and primary defense stat in order to deal massive damage and take reduced damage from the stuff it's supposed to be weak to.
 

bug_of_war

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BanicRhys said:
Pokemon research is wrong.

I assume we're just talking the Kanto starters, in which case Bulbasaur is the clear winner. Sleep Powder, Sludge Bomb, instant Solarbeam? Forgetabowtit!

What can Squirtle do? Bite and spit water, who gives a Muk?

Of course, out of all the starters, this bad boy wins every time.



STAB Earthquake? Fire types be hatin'.
Heh...that's cute, pity Charizard is part flying type. WHERE'S YOU SAME TYPE ATTACK BONUS NOW?

Charizard and Blastoise are for those whom aren't afraid of an up front fair fight, unlike all those grass starters with their cowardly poison powder/sleep powder/stun spore. Also I like them both too much to pick between which is better so I'mma just continue praising the non grass type starters:

Typhlosion: Only pure fire fully evolved starter (high stats, bad ass looking mofo)
Feraligatr: Giant badass with a damn fine move set with the stats to back it up

Blaziken: Original fire fighting badass whom now can mega evolve with the added special ability bonus of each turn increasing the speed stat.
Swampert: Typing removing it's vulnerability to electric types, first evolution has an entire meme around it.

Infernape: Crown of fire on a metal looking monkey, decent speed stat, decent move set
Empoleon: It's an Emperor Penguin that can take down Torterra thanks to it's steel typing

Emboar: Solid fire type, it'll crush Serperior before it's half way out the ball
Samurott: Dudes a fucking Samurai that uses it's own body parts as swords


GET WRECKED GRASS TYPES
 

Canadish

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I'd just like to note that it took these jokers around 15 years to figure out what I clearly had figured out at 10. I totally knew he was the best choice from the get-go and didn't just pick him because I loved turtles.

Interesting to note that though. Glad to see my Squirtle getting some love.
 

Weaver

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Apr 28, 2008
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BanicRhys said:
Pokemon research is wrong.

I assume we're just talking the Kanto starters, in which case Bulbasaur is the clear winner. Sleep Powder, Sludge Bomb, instant Solarbeam? Forgetabowtit!

What can Squirtle do? Bite and spit water, who gives a Muk?

Of course, out of all the starters, this bad boy wins every time.

STAB Earthquake? Fire types be hatin'.
I think this is actually pretty important to note. IMO Bulbasaur simply has more utility available to it with it's learned moves. Leech Seed is a godsend in the earlier gyms and saves you lots of money on potions.
 

MysticSlayer

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What I got from this is that Bulbasaur is the best starter. The guy notes that your early choice means little after the first few gyms then shortly after admits that Bulbasaur is the best choice for the early gyms. Yeah, Squirtle might be good for long-game and speed runs, but that's looking at it from a specific perspective, but it hardly works in a more general sense (i.e. you want to find a way to clear the early gyms before you really get to building your team better).

Anyways, I do prefer Squirtle, but I hardly factor in stats when choosing my starter.
 

DarklordKyo

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Nov 22, 2009
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While I'm willing to respect Squirtle being scientifically the best starter, I'm still a member of the Charmander Master Race.
 

CrazyCapnMorgan

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Jan 5, 2011
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OK. The only Water type starter I give a Rattata's poot about is Empoleon. FOR IT IS THE ONLY RIGHT WATER STARTER POKEMON IN THE UNIVERSE! [sub]ahem...[/sub]

Let's look at the facts, shall we?

1) Empoleon is a Water/Steel type pokemon, and is the ONLY known Water/Steel type pokemon in existence. Even legendaries do not have this typing!

2) Though Empoleon is weak to Electric, Fighting and Ground type moves, its moveset covers ALL of its weaknesses. It naturally learns Drill Peck and therefore covers Fighting and Grass types, it can learn Ice Beam (which gives the middle finger to Torterra) and finally, it can learn Earthquake and therefore covers Electric types.

3) Empoleon has the highest number of resistances among starter pokemon.

4) It has the highest base Special Attack of all starter pokemon.

5) Of all HMs, the only one it cannot learn is Fly. (Friggin penguins...)

6) For those of you wishing to argue Swampert, I got two words for ya: Grass Knot. Empoleon can also learn this move.

7) Is named after Napoleon Bonaparte, one of history's most famed conquerors, as is the same height as its namesake.

 

EverNewb

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May 3, 2012
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The original Pokemon is the only one I have ever played. I will never regret my choice of Bulbasaur. He is made of win. the Solar beam cuts down ghost and psychic types with ease. and lets face it the other grass types in the game might as well have been mowed.
 

Someone Depressing

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Jan 16, 2011
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I'm sorry, "Pokemon research"? Who the fuck is investing valuable time and resources into games which actually ripped off much better games that nobody seems to remember, other than craze driven fans and idiots? I apologise, that term just sounds so.. idiotic, I really can't stop laughing...

Besides, I like Charmander the best. A good blend of speed, offense and defense that doesn't cripple it entirely, unlike other starters.
 

Billy D Williams

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Jul 8, 2013
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Sorry, but no freaking duh!!! He knows water, that Super Effective VS. Fire, Rock and he knows Ice which is Super Effective against Dragon, Flying and Grass, leaving the only group that can completely overpower him as Electric.

 

hawkeye52

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Jul 17, 2009
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In terms of pokemon competitiveness and and leagues online and elsewhere. Blastoise is the best due to it's ability to act as a rain dish wall and stands up fairly well in ubers I believe as a SpDef tank
 

Suave Charlie

Pleasant Bastard
Sep 23, 2009
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Dropped my starters as soon as I get my Larvitar. This time I got a spanish larvi through a wonder trade before I even did the first gym.