Ranking The Best Grass-Type Pokémon Starters

Kenji Nakamura

5 min read

Post on May 14, 2025

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Bulbasaur (Generation I): The Classic Grass Starter

Strengths:

Bulbasaur's balanced stats and excellent early-game performance make it a strong contender for the best Grass starter. Its access to a wide variety of powerful moves throughout its evolution line is another key advantage.

• Solid defensive capabilities: Bulbasaur boasts decent HP and defense, allowing it to withstand early-game attacks.
• Effective movepool: It learns a variety of effective moves like Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, and Sleep Powder, providing offensive and support options.
• Powerful evolution: Its final evolution, Venusaur, boasts incredibly high HP and Special Attack, making it a force to be reckoned with.
• Versatility: Venusaur's wide movepool versatility allows for diverse strategic options.

Weaknesses:

Bulbasaur, like many Grass-types, is vulnerable to Fire and Ice-type attacks. This weakness should be considered when strategizing battles, especially in the early game.

Chikorita (Generation II): The Gentle Giant

Strengths:

Chikorita might seem unassuming, but its final evolution, Meganium, possesses surprisingly high HP and a decent Special Attack stat.

• High HP and Special Attack: Meganium’s high HP makes it surprisingly durable, while its Special Attack allows for potent offensive capabilities.
• Balanced Movepool: Chikorita and its evolutions have good movepool choices for both offensive and defensive strategies, allowing for adaptability.
• Support Options: Meganium can learn useful status moves like Aromatherapy, making it a valuable support Pokémon.

Weaknesses:

Chikorita's relatively slow speed stat can be a significant drawback, especially against faster opponents. It can struggle in the early game against stronger foes if not strategically played.

Treecko (Generation III): The Agile Grass Starter

Strengths:

Treecko and its evolution line are known for their high speed and Special Attack stats.

• High Speed and Special Attack: Sceptile's speed allows it to strike first, often securing a crucial early advantage. Its Special Attack is equally impressive.
• Powerful Special Attacks: Access to powerful special attacks like Leaf Storm and Giga Drain makes Sceptile a significant threat.
• Adaptable: Sceptile’s good adaptability makes it a valuable asset to various team compositions.

Weaknesses:

Treecko's frail physical defense is a notable weakness. Faster opponents can easily outspeed and defeat it if not carefully countered.

Turtwig (Generation IV): The Defensive Powerhouse

Strengths:

Turtwig's high defense and special defense stats make it a formidable defensive powerhouse.

• High Defense: Torterra's remarkable defense makes it a true tank, absorbing significant physical damage.
• Balanced Moveset: Torterra's reliable moveset allows for both attacking and defending, offering versatility in battle.
• Physical Attack Resistance: Torterra excels against physical attacks, making it a valuable asset against physical attackers.

Weaknesses:

Turtwig's lower speed compared to other Grass-type starters can be a considerable disadvantage. It also struggles against powerful special attackers.

Snivy (Generation V): The Graceful Grass Starter

Strengths:

Snivy's evolution, Serperior, boasts high speed and special attack. Its elegant design and strong moveset are other key features.

• High Speed and Special Attack: Serperior's combination of speed and special attack makes it a potent offensive force.
• Versatile Moveset: Serperior learns a variety of versatile moves, adding strategic depth.
• Stylish Pokemon: Its elegant design is appreciated by many fans.

Weaknesses:

Serperior can struggle significantly against physical attackers, highlighting its defensive vulnerabilities.

Chespin (Generation VI): The Defensive Grass Starter

Strengths:

Chespin evolves into Chesnaught, known for its high defense and good physical attack.

• High Defense: Chesnaught's bulk makes it a valuable member of any team, capable of absorbing significant damage.
• Defensive and Offensive Capabilities: Chesnaught is effective against both physical and special attacks, offering balanced performance.
• Simple but Effective: Its relatively simple yet effective moveset makes it easy to use effectively.

Weaknesses:

Chesnaught's lower speed can be a significant disadvantage, hindering its ability to strike first in many situations.

Rowlet (Generation VII): The Owl Grass Starter

Strengths:

Rowlet's dual Ghost/Grass typing offers unique type advantages, adding strategic depth.

• Unique Typing: Decidueye’s Ghost/Grass typing gives it an edge against certain Pokémon types.
• High Special Attack and Decent Speed: It possesses high special attack and decent speed, making it a balanced attacker.
• Spirit Shackle: The ability to learn powerful moves like Spirit Shackle provides significant strategic advantages.

Weaknesses:

Decidueye is vulnerable to Fire, Flying, Ice, and Poison-type attacks, requiring careful strategic consideration.

Grookey (Generation VIII): The Drumming Grass Starter

Strengths:

Grookey's final evolution, Rillaboom, boasts incredibly high attack power, making it a formidable physical attacker.

• High Attack: Rillaboom's high attack makes it a formidable physical attacker capable of dealing massive damage.
• Powerful Physical Moves: Powerful moves such as Grassy Glide and Drum Beating are crucial assets.
• Physical Attack Focus: A great choice for trainers who prefer a physical attacking playstyle.

Weaknesses:

Rillaboom's lower special defense is a noticeable weakness, making it vulnerable to special attacks.

Conclusion:

Choosing the "best" Grass-type Pokémon starter is ultimately subjective, depending on your playstyle and preferred battle strategies. From the classic Bulbasaur to the modern Grookey, each starter offers unique strengths and weaknesses. Consider your preferred playstyle – do you prefer a defensive tank like Torterra, a speedy attacker like Sceptile, or a balanced option like Venusaur? This ranking provides a helpful guide to inform your decision, but the ultimate choice is yours. So, go out there and pick the best Grass-type Pokémon starter for your next adventure! Remember to explore different strategies and discover your favorite Grass-type Pokémon starter!