Starter Pokemon have always been among the strongest and most popular Pokemon in existence. They start off as cute little creatures that join the trainer as they start out in a region, and they grow with the trainer as they get stronger, smarter, and encounter tougher opponents. Whether it be Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, Greninja, Sceptile, Torterra, or any of the others, Starter Pokemon have always been beloved.

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However, popularity doesn’t equate to strength, and not all Starter Pokemon are created equal. This, naturally, leads a trainer to wonder which Starter Pokemon are the strongest. Which are the best? Which do well in competitive play? These are the questions we are going to answer today as we count down the 18 strongest Starter Pokemon. Popular Pokemon meta site Smogon is a primary tool used in this list construction.

18 Emboar Is One Of Many Hard-Hitting Fire And Fighting-Starters

Emboar isn’t the strongest Starter Pokemon, but it’s still pretty good. It’s the third in a line of Fighting and Fire-type starters, making Emboar one of the less popular Fire-type starters among Pokemon fans. Emboar sinks fairly low in the Smogon meta rankings, as it doesn’t rise to Rarely Used but is banned in Never Used for the Sun & Moon meta. It wasn’t included in Galar’s National Pokedex, so Emboar isn’t included in the Sword & Shield meta either.

Despite all of this, Emboar has its uses in the Rarely Used tier. Emboar is a powerful wall-breaker who can blitz just about anything put in its path. If it has a Choice Band, it can get the most use out of attacks like Superpower, Flare Blitz, and Wild Charge. All of these will harm and weaken Emboar, but it will knock out one or two opposing Pokemon well before Emboar goes down.

17 Sceptile Shows The Strength Of The Gen 3 Starters

Sceptile is a pure Grass-type starter from Gen 3, the Hoenn Region. It received a Mega Evolution form with Gen 6 that made it a Grass and Dragon-type. It largely sits in the Never Used meta in Sun & Moon while its Mega Evolution form sits in Rarely Used. That said, it sees some play in certain teams in UnderUsed, even if it’s all-but abandoned in the Sword & Shield meta.

Sceptile is largely used as a Leech Seed agitator, slowly sapping opposing Pokemon of their health while frequently shielding itself with Protect. It can really dole out some damage with moves like Leaf Storm, and the negative effects of Leaf Storm do nothing to hinder the Leech Seed strategy. This usefulness and the Mega Evolution land Sceptile its place among the strongest starter Pokemon.

16 Decidueye Was A Heavy Hitter in The Sun & Moon Meta

Decidueye is the final form of Rowlet, a strong starter Pokemon from Sun & Moon and Legends: Arceus. Decidueye hails from Gen 7 in the Alola Region, and it is a Ghost and Grass-type Pokemon. It sits in the UnderUsed tier in Smogon battle leagues for Sun & Moon, and it sinks to the NeverUsed tier Sword & Shield meta.

However, that doesn’t mean that Decidueye can’t dominate in its tier. Its typing allows it to push through some more difficult defensive Pokemon, and moves like Spirit Shackle and Leaf Blade allow Decidueye to tear through some particularly stubborn Pokemon.

15 Blastoise Can Outlast The Opponent Thanks To Rain Dish

Blastoise is a longtime fan-favorite and one of the original starter Pokemon from Gen 1. Despite that, it’s been in the NeverUsed tier in Sword & Shield and Sun & Moon. Despite the lack of attention it gets in newer games, Blastoise could once jump a tier in Sun & Moon competitive play thanks to its Rain Dish Ability, which allows it to regain health when it’s raining.

Furthermore, Mega Blastoise could really lay out other Pokemon thanks to its Mega Launcher Ability, which powers up already powerful moves such as Aura Sphere and Dark Pulse.

14 Infernape Is An Offensive Monster In Its Battle Tier

Infernape isn’t in the Pokedex of Sword & Shield, but it’s an outright beast in Sun & Moon competitive play. This Fire and Fighting-type starter from Gen 4 is among the most powerful Pokemon in its tier, which is UnderUsed.

Infernape actually prefers its base Ability, Blaze, which boosts the power of its Fire-type moves when at low health. The Life Orb item and Nasty Plot moves can turn Fire Blast and Focus Blast into absolutely powerhouse sweeper moves.

13 Empoleon Can Scald Whatever Threat Stands In Its Way

Empoleon is a Water and Steel-type starter Pokemon from Gen 4. It’s not included in Sword & Shield, but it also has a strong foothold in the UnderUsed tier of the prior generation’s metagame.

Like Infernape, Empoleon enjoys the use of its base Ability, Torrent. It can use Scald to repel opponents, and a defensive build can really make use of Empoleon’s move pool with choices like Toxic, Stealth Rock, and Knock Off.

12 Chesnaught Is A Bulletproof Spikey Grass-Type

Chesnaught is a Grass and Fighting-type Pokemon from Gen 6. It’s not included in the Gen 8 Pokedex, but it still puts in work in Gen 7’s metagame. It’s a defensive wall despite its double weakness to Flying-type moves.

It can use Synthesis to stay in the game, and it can use Spikes to provide a field hazard. Its Hidden Ability, Bulletproof, makes Chesnaught immune to ballistic moves, which includes things like Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb. Giving it a Rocky Helmet can further punish opposing Pokemon by dealing damage to anything that physically attacks Chesnaught, making it a very strong Starter Pokemon indeed.

11 Feraligatr Can Win With Its Sheer Force

Feraligatr is a pure Water-type Pokemon that comes from Gen 2, meaning it has been omitted from the Sword & Shield Pokedex, and by design alone looks like one of the strongest Starter Pokemon there is. It’s an UnderUsed tier Pokemon in the Sun & Moon competitive game, and a lot of its value comes from its Hidden Ability: Sheer Force. This Ability boosts attacks with secondary effects at the cost of nullifying those secondary effects.

This empowers already strong moves like Liquidation and Ice Punch. Needless to say, Feraligatr is a devastating offensive Pokemon, and it is further powered by stat-boosting moves like Dragon Dance. Its pure typing restricts Feraligatr’s weaknesses to Electric and Grass, making it difficult to take out to boot.

10 Serperior Is A Dangerous Foe Thanks To Its Contrary Ability

Serperior actually isn’t in the Sword & Shield Pokedex, so it isn’t available for Gen 8 competitive play. However, it was such a strong contender in past generations that it earns a spot on this list. What makes Serperior such a ludicrous battler is its Hidden Ability, Contrary. Moves that would otherwise lower Serperior’s stats raise them (and vice versa).

Teach Serperior Leaf Storm, which is a powerful Grass-type move that has the payoff of lowering the user’s Special Attack, and you have a ridiculously good Grass-type powerhouse that keeps raising its own Special Attack stat. Mix that with a high Speed stat, and you begin to see why Serperior had to be on this list.

9 Greninja Once Dominated The Metagame With Its Ash-Greninja Form

Greninja, unfortunately, isn’t included with the Sword & Shield Pokedex, either. In its heyday, Greninja had two very reliable builds in Ash-Greninja and Protean Greninja. The Ash-Greninja had incredible Speed and Special Attack that could wipe out even the heaviest of walls. It was so strong that it was even used in the Uber Smogon tier, which is mostly reserved for powerhouse Legendary Pokemon.

Protean Greninja is also an offensive powerhouse. The Hidden Ability, Protean, gives Greninja the ability to change its type to the type of whatever move it is currently using. This means it will get the 1.5x power Same Type Attack Boost, or STAB, that all Pokemon get for using a move that matches its own type, for all moves that it uses. Mix that with Greninja’s Speed, and you have a truly deadly shinobi. Truly one of the best starter Pokemon around.

8 Charizard Is A Tyrant From The Skies

The beloved Gen 1 Fire-type Starter has had a rough go of it lately in Sword & Shield competitive play. Despite the power that its two Mega Evolutions once gave it, those and Gigantamax Forms are outright banned in Gen 8 competitive play. However, Charizard is a destructive force in teams that rely on Sunny Day/Drought strategies to turn up the heat.

Charizard’s Hidden Ability is Solar Power, so it gains a boost to its Special Attack when the sun is out at the cost of HP draining. This allows Charizard to dominate with moves such as Weather Ball and Overheat, allowing it to take down some of even the bulkiest blockers.

7 Venusaur Is A Solar-Powered Grass Monster

Venusaur is getting some use in the current OU (or Overused) meta in Sword & Shield, but it’s not a frequent figure in the format. It’s mostly used to bolster strategies that rely on other Pokemon in the same team.

In past generations, Mega Venusaur made it a more viable inclusion, but those were taken off the table with the Gen 7 Hidden Ability, Chlorophyll. This is what gives Venusaur its edge. Its speed is doubled when Sunny Day or Drought is in effect, so it’s a solid inclusion in teams that focus on that strategy.

6 Incineroar Is A Bulky Fire-Type

Incineroar is one of the best defensive Starter Pokemon. Its Hidden Ability, Intimidate, lowers the attack of the opponent’s Pokemon when Incineroar comes out. Mix that with a Careful Nature, which raises the Pokemon’s Special Defense at the cost of its Special Attack, and you have a solidly bulky Pokemon.

Flare Blitz is a reliable move for when Incineroar needs to deal damage, and disrupting moves such as Knockoff and Taunt can interrupt whatever strategies your opponent has in mind for their Pokemon.

5 Blaziken Was Once A Mega-Powered Speedster

Blaziken had once ascended to the rank of Uber status in previous generations. Its Mega Evolution and Speed Boost Hidden Ability made it so dominant that it was banned from OU play. The Crown Tundra DLC for Sword & Shield has reintroduced Blaziken to the meta, and it’s slowly rising back to the top.

Speed Boost is still a must for Blaziken, but it’s lost its Mega Evolution in Gen 8. That aside, Blaziken is still looking to be a dangerous physical sweeper and will likely see more use from here.

4 Primarina Can Get By On Their Torrent Power

This is the best Starter Pokemon in the Alola region, and it’s on the rise in competitive play too. The Water and Fairy-type Primarina has both offensive and defensive options at its disposal, and it’s one of the only Water-type Starters that actually favors its Torrent Ability over its Hidden Ability.

Primarina isn’t an all-star in OU tier yet, but, with more than one build option on the table, Primarina could easily become a regular in Overused.

3 Swampert Is A Longtime Metagame Tank

Swampert, also known as the best Starter Pokemon for Nuzlockes, is given great competitive advantage thanks to its Mega Evolution. It’s already risen back to OU tier since its reintroduction with the Crown Tundra, even without the Mega Evolution’s inclusion.

Despite its quad weakness to Grass-type moves, Swampert is a powerful wall. Its Damp Hidden Ability prevents any Explosion/Self-Destruct type moves from going off, and it makes for a good Stealth Rock trapper.

2 Rillaboom Is Grass-Gliding Beast

The Galarian native Rillaboom is the best Grass-type Starter Pokemon on this list, and has proven to be a devastating physical attacker in this new generation. Its Hidden Ability, Grassy Surge, produces a Grassy Terrain effect when Rillaboom enters the battlefield, which boosts Rillaboom’s damaging Grass-type moves by 50 percent.

With EV-trained Attack and Speed and either a Choice Band or Life Orb, Rillaboom is set to knock down some walls and generally dominate the battlefield while it’s out.

1 Cinderace Is An Powerful Enough To Fight Legendaries

Cinderace has proven to be the best Starter Pokemon of the latest generation and may just be the best Starter Pokemon in the current competitive metagame. It has a renamed version of Protean called Libero, which allows Cinderace to change its type to whatever move it’s about to use. Cinderace is so good that it’s getting usage in Uber tier, which is mainly populated by Legendary Pokemon.

The move Court Change is another edge that Cinderace has on the competition. It swaps field hazards to the other side of the battlefield, making moves like Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes hazardous for its opponents instead. Cinderace has proven to be a wicked attack and support Pokemon, and it currently sits on the Galarian Starter Pokemon throne. NEXT: Pokemon That Are Good In Doubles, But Not Singles