# What is the strongest starter Pokémon of all time?

> The strongest starter Pokémon on raw stats is Swampert, with a 535 base stat total; across all generations the best pick depends on the game.

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.

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https://gamevoyages.com/which-is-the-strongest-starter-pokemon/ · Game Voyage · Checked 2026-10-31