Charmander vs. Bulbasaur vs. Squirtle: Which Is the Strongest Among Them?

Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle are all iconic starter Pokémon characters. Because they’re the first choice of Pokémon you get to make, there has been much debate about which one is guaranteed to give you more bang for your buck. After all, you want to start your adventure with the strongest Pokémon by your side, but is that so easy to determine? When it comes to Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle, which among them is the strongest Pokémon?

Base Stats

In order to assess which starter Pokémon out of the three is the best, the first place you’d look is the base stats. Baste stats or starting stats are important in determining the absolute minimum stats of any Pokémon. 

For HP, Bulbasaur has 45 points, Squirtle is a close second at 44, and Charmander brings up the rear with 39 points. For Attack, Charmander leads with 52 points, with Bulbasaur at 49 and Squirtle at 48 points. Regarding Defense, Squirtle wins out with 65 points, while Bulbasaur is sitting at 49 points and Charmander at 43. 

In the Special Attack category, Bulbasaur has 65 points, Charmander has 60, and Squirtle comes in last with 50 points. Bulbasaur takes the first palace again for Special Defense, Squirtle is a close second with 64 points, and Charmander is at 50 points. Lastly, Charmander wins in the Speed category with 65 points, with Bulbasaur at 45 and Squirtle at 43. 

Looking over this summary, you’ll notice that Bulbasaur is the most balanced. Charmander is obviously the glass canon, and Squirtle excels in Defense. 

First Evolution Stats

On the first evolution, every Pokémon’s total number of stat points peaks at 405 points, but they’re all assigned to different categories for each different Pokémon. This means that the Pokémon are still specialized in some fields. After the first evolution, Charmeleon has a slight Attack increase and a big Speed boost. Ivysaur continues to be the most balanced choice, and Wartortle gets a big Defense and Special Defense boost. 

Second Evolution Stats

With the second evolution, these Pokémon’s total number of stat points is no longer the same. Charizard boasts first place with 534 points, Venusaur sits at 525 points, and Blastoise brings up the rear with 530 stat points. 

As for their individual strengths and weaknesses, Blastoise is still the tank of the three, with the highest Defense and Special Defense. However, it suffers in the Special Attack department, with the lowest Special Attack points. Blastoise can’t deal much damage, but it doesn’t take much damage, either. 

Charizard is still the glass cannon of the group, with the highest Speed and Special Attack, but its Defense is its weak spot. It can deal a lot of damage but can’t take it. Its low Defense means that if it gets hit, it’ll take more damage. 

Venusaur doesn’t excel in any particular category, but it’s the most well-balanced, and there are no huge gaps in skill between it and its opponents, so it doesn’t have any extreme weaknesses. Its strengths and weaknesses are balanced. 

This is why many fans consider picking Bulbasaur the same as playing on easy mode; Squirtle is medium, and Charmander is difficult. This isn’t to say that Charmander is a bad starter, but it relies on other Pokémon to progress a lot and it’s only effective against the grass gym. 

Bulbasaur is a well-rounded Pokémon, and that’s its biggest advantage. It can get you a long way into the game until you have a fully leveled-up team of Pokémon. 

Effectiveness

Each Pokémon is comprised of one or two types, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Squirtle is a Water Type, Charmander is a Fire Type, and Bulbasaur is a Grass and Poison Type. 

Since Charmander is a Fire Type, it’s very strong against Grass, Bug, Ice, and Steel Type Pokémon. This leaves it vulnerable to Rock, Water, and Ground Types. 

As a Water Type, Squirtle is very effective against Fire, Rock, and Ground Types. It’s vulnerable to Grass and Electric Types. 

Since Bulbasaur is both a Grass and Poison Type, it’s both strong against and weak against a greater number of Types. Its Grass Type trait gives it an advantage over Rock, Water, and Ground Types. Its Poison Type trait makes it strong against Fairy and Grass Types. 

Bulbasaur’s Grass Type trait makes it vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug, and Poison Types, while its Poison Type trait makes it weak to Psychic and Ground Types. 

Bulbasaur’s Balance

Bulbasaur’s greatest advantage is how well-rounded this Pokémon is. It has a balanced set of base stats, and it retains that balance through its first and second evolutions. This makes Bulbasaur a great choice for standing up to most Pokémon without needing to supplement its weaknesses with another Pokémon from your team. To sum up, Bulbasaur is very independent and self-reliant, which is a great advantage at the start of the game. 

Additionally, Bulbasaur is both a Grass and a Poison Type. This means that it has an advantage against 1/3rd of other Pokémon. Even though that means it’s weak to more Pokémon types than Charmander or Squirtle, Bulbasaur will still have an even or advantageous matchup against 60% of all Pokémon. 

As you journey through the game, you’ll get other Pokémon designed to help you create a well-rounded, powerful team. A starter’s job is to get you through a good chunk of the game, and I think no other starter Pokémon does that as well as Bulbasaur. 

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