Best Starter Fighter in Pokémon Fire Red: A Guide

Choosing your first Pokémon in Pokémon FireRed is more than just a ceremonial beginning—it's a strategic decision that can shape the entire flow of your gameplay. The classic trio—Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander—each brings unique strengths and weaknesses to the table. In this guide, we’ll break down each starter’s attributes and determine which one offers the best start for your journey.

Squirtle

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Squirtle is a Water-type Pokémon that resembles a small turtle with a sturdy shell. This shell not only provides protection but also enhances hydrodynamics, allowing Squirtle to swim swiftly through water. It can fire high-precision water jets from its mouth, making it a versatile battler both in and out of aquatic environments.

While Squirtle has a generally calm demeanor, it can be slightly more challenging to train than Bulbasaur but easier than Charmander. Its balanced stats and strong Defense make it an excellent choice for beginners.

Advantages:

• Strong against Rock and Fire types.
• Easily defeats Brock and Misty, two of the earliest Gym Leaders.
• Final evolution, Blastoise, gains access to powerful Water moves like Surf.
• Abilities include Torrent (boosts Water-type moves) and Rain Dish (restores HP in rain).

Drawbacks:

• Weak against Grass and Electric types, which are common early on.
• Slower compared to other starters.
• Less raw offensive power than Charmander.

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Bulbasaur

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Bulbasaur is a dual-type Grass/Poison Pokémon known for its bulb-covered back. This bulb stores energy and absorbs sunlight to grow over time. When it becomes too large, it signals Bulbasaur’s impending evolution into Ivysaur.

Bulbasaur is a well-rounded option with solid stats and great synergy against the first two Gym Leaders. Its typing gives it an edge in the early game.

Advantages:

• Effective against Rock, Ground, and Water types.
• Excels in battles against Brock and Misty.
• Leech Seed ability drains opponent’s health over time.
• Vine Whip delivers fast, physical strikes.
• Hidden Ability Chlorophyll boosts speed in sunny weather.

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Drawbacks:

• Vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Psychic, and Flying attacks.
• Lower Speed stat can cause it to fall behind in critical turns.
• Late-game evolution retains type weaknesses, making it less effective without careful team support.

Charmander

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Charmander is a fiery lizard Pokémon whose tail flame reflects its vitality. A bright flame means it’s full of energy, while a dim or flickering flame indicates fatigue. Despite being a fan favorite, Charmander faces challenges in the early game.

It evolves into Charmeleon and eventually Charizard, gaining access to Mega Evolution and some of the most powerful Fire moves in the game.

Advantages:

• High Attack and Speed stats.
• Fire-type moves are super effective against Grass, Ice, Bug, and Steel types.
• Evolves into one of the strongest final forms in the game.
• Can become a dominant force later with proper training.

Drawbacks:

• Struggles early due to weakness against Brock’s Rock-type and Misty’s Water-type Pokémon.
• Low Defense makes it fragile in battle.
• Requires patience and strategy to overcome early obstacles.

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Choosing Your First Pokémon: Who to Take on Your Journey?

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Each starter comes with its own set of pros and cons:

• Squirtle offers balance and reliability, making it a solid pick for players who want steady progress.
• Bulbasaur excels early and remains useful throughout the game, especially against the first two Gyms.
• Charmander demands patience but rewards persistence with late-game strength.

For a smooth and beginner-friendly experience, Bulbasaur is often considered the best choice. It handles the initial challenges with ease, thanks to its advantageous typing and consistent performance. With decent bulk and useful abilities, it remains competitive even as the game progresses.

Ultimately, your choice should reflect your playstyle and long-term strategy. Whether you go for the cool-headed turtle, the resilient plant-back creature, or the fiery lizard, your starter will be the foundation of your Pokémon journey. Choose wisely—and enjoy the adventure!