What is the strongest starter Pokémon of all time?

There's no single strongest starter, because final starters are deliberately balanced: almost all fully evolved starters have base stat totals between 525 and 535. On paper, Swampert (535) is the highest among regular forms, and fan favorites such as Charizard, Blaziken and Greninja stand out thanks to Mega Evolutions, special forms or strong abilities. The "best" starter in practice is the one that suits the game you're playing.

Strongest by category

• Highest base stats: Swampert (Water/Ground). Its typing leaves it weak only to Grass, which makes it very sturdy in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. Close behind at 534 are Charizard, Typhlosion, Infernape and Delphox.
• Strongest special forms: Mega Charizard X and Y, Mega Blaziken and Mega Swampert, plus Ash-Greninja, all reach well above 600 base stat total in the games that allow them.
• Strong abilities: Blaziken's hidden ability Speed Boost, Greninja's Protean and Cinderace's Libero made them dominant in competitive play when available.
• Doubles favorite: Incineroar, thanks to Intimidate and Fake Out, has been a staple of official doubles (VGC) formats.

Best starter in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The three choices are Sprigatito (Grass, becomes Meowscarada, Grass/Dark), Fuecoco (Fire, becomes Skeledirge, Fire/Ghost) and Quaxly (Water, becomes Quaquaval, Water/Fighting).

• Fuecoco is often called the easiest for the story: Skeledirge is bulky, and its signature move Torch Song raises its Special Attack every time it hits.
• Sprigatito is fast and hits hard; Meowscarada's Flower Trick always lands a critical hit.
• Quaxly is the least popular pick but Quaquaval's Aqua Step raises its Speed, and its Fighting typing helps against many gyms.

All three can finish the game comfortably.

FAQ

Who is stronger, Mew or Mewtwo?

Mewtwo has higher base stats (680 vs. Mew's 600). In the lore Mew is the original and Mewtwo its clone.

Which starter has the lowest stats?

The Grass starters Venusaur, Meganium and Torterra share the lowest total among regular final-stage starters, 525, which is only 10 points below Swampert.

What does Fuecoco evolve into?

Fuecoco evolves into Crocalor at level 16 and Skeledirge at level 36.

Which starter is easiest for beginners?

Usually the Water or Fire starter of a given generation, because they have fewer bad matchups in the early gyms. Check the first gym's type before choosing.