When it comes to choosing a starter Pokemon, every trainer is different in how they like to approach things. Some base the decision on typings; others like to choose based on design. Some people just choose at random and take things from there. Regardless of how and why a choice is made.
There have been some pretty solid Water-type starters over the years, and some are among the most iconic Pokemon in the series. As with anything else, it's possible to rank these Pokemon to get an idea of how good they are individually. So, here it is: every Water-type starter, ranked.
Updated November 30, 2022, by Jeremy Hanna: Much to the chagrin of gen wunners everywhere, the world of Pokemon is constantly changing with new Pokemon, moves, and abilities introduced every generation. Now that Pokemon Scarlet & Violet have been released, there is a bevy of new content, including a brand new Water starter and nerfs to already existing abilities that made some formerly broken Pokemon much more manageable. This means that Ash Greninja will only be soloing battles for Ash in the anime. So with the intent of keeping everything up to date, let's take a look at how things have changed with the debut of Gen 9.
9 Sobble - Drizzile - Inteleon
Inteleon |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Secret Agent |
70 |
85 |
65 |
125 |
65 |
120 |
When the Galarian starters were first introduced, Sobble grabbed everyone's attention with its adorably sad design. However, its final evolution leaves a bit to be desired. It's fairly standard in-game with the same advantages and disadvantages as the other starters. What makes it interesting is its ability Sniper.
Combined with its signature move Snipe Shot, Inteleon is a critical hit machine. If you use focus energy and equip it with a Scope Lens, that guarantees a critical hit every turn. But this takes a lot of setup, and Inteleon is incredibly frail, with 65 in both Defense and Special Defense. Even with this, there's no way Inteleon can hit as hard as Dracovish and Rapid Strike Urshifu. Inteleon is a cool homage to James Bond, but it's just not as effective as it could be.
8 Oshawott - Dewott - Samurott/Hisuian Samurott
Samurott |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Formidable |
95/90 |
100/108 |
85/80 |
108/100 |
70/65 |
70/85 |
Oshawott is the Unova Water-type starter. Though some may be tempted to grab hold of this little guy due to its adorable features, it may not be the best choice for your party. Oshawott eventually evolves into the fearsome-looking Samurott. It's a pure Water-type, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's overshadowed by the other Unova starters.
There are quite a few solid Water-type Pokemon in Unova. They may not all have the same total base stats as Samurott, but that doesn't really matter. You can get a better starter and a perfectly usable Water-type if you simply choose not to start your adventure off with Oshawott. And while the Hisuian form may be decent in Pokemon Legends: Arceus with an additional Dark-typing, there are still better options for strong Water-types.
7 Totodile - Croconaw - Feraligatr
Feraligatr |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Jaw |
85 |
105 |
100 |
79 |
83 |
78 |
While Totodile became a fan favorite due to the anime, it wasn't that effective in the games. It didn't have an advantage over any specific trainer, and it basically functioned as a worse Gyarados. It had high Attack, decent Defense, and mediocre everything else. It was never bad, just not great.
But time went on, and Feraligatr kept getting better and better. In generation five, Feraligatr got the awesome ability Sheer Force. On top of that, it got even better in generation six when it got Dragon Dance as an egg move. All of a sudden, Feraligatr became a vicious physical attacker. So while many people have forgotten about the Big Jaw Pokemon, it remains a potent threat.
6 Popplio - Brionne - Primarina
Primarina |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Soloist |
80 |
74 |
74 |
126 |
116 |
60 |
Next up is Popplio – another adorable-looking starter. This clown seal evolves into Primarina and gains another type: Fairy. It's a great pairing, as the Fairy-typing is among the games' strongest types, and it perfectly matches Primarina's mermaid-like design. It helps when combined with its great Special Attack and Special Defense. But while Primarina is pretty good competitively, it really shines in-game.
Amongst the nine different Kahunas and Elite Four members in generation seven, Primarina has an advantage against six of them. That's incredible. Add on Sparkling Aria, a Water-type move that can bypass Substitute, and you have a surprisingly dangerous Pokemon that'll catch your opponents unaware.
5 Squirtle - Wartortle - Blastoise
Blastoise |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shellfish |
79 |
83 |
100 |
85 |
105 |
78 |
Just like every starter from the original games, Blastoise has gotten a lot of support over the years. Not only did it get an awesome Mega Evolution, but it also received a Gigantamax form. Both of these can be incredibly dangerous. While these are great, Blastoise has unfortunately been outshone by Venusaur and Charizard.
But there is a silver lining. Sword and Shield didn't just bring along that Gigantamax form. It also gave Blastoise Shell Smash, one of the best stat-boosting moves in the game. And it works perfectly with Blastoise's stat distribution, focusing mostly on Defense and Special Defense. So while Blastoise still may be in that Charizard-shaped shadow, it can more than hold its own.
4 Froakie - Frogadier - Greninja
Greninja |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ninja |
72 |
95 |
67 |
103 |
71 |
122 |
When people think of overpowered starters, they think of Greninja. Not only is it fast and hits hard, but it also has two incredible hidden abilities. However, both of these were weakened in Scarlet & Violet. Instead of changing type with every attack, Protean now only does that once per switch in. Also, Battle Bond no longer changes Greninja into Ash Greninja. Instead, it increases your Attack, Special Attack, and Speed the first time you knock out a Pokemon.
And that's not the end of Greninja's woes. If you choose Froakie in either X or Y, you're going to have a very tough time. While Greninja has an advantage over three Gym Leaders and the Elite Four, there's an equal amount of Gym Leaders who can easily handle Greninja. That being said, Greninja is still an incredible sweeper you do not want to underestimate.
3 Quaxly - Quaxwell - Quaquaval
Quaquaval |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dancer |
85 |
120 |
80 |
85 |
75 |
85 |
Upon the introduction of Scarlet & Violet, fans immediately fell in love with the starters. While Sprigatito and Fuecoco became loved for their own meme-worthy reasons, Quaxly took center stage with its pompadour haircut and resemblance to a certain Disney duck. What no one could suspect was its evolution into a brilliant dancer in Quaquaval.
Contrary to its avian appearance, Quaquavla is a Water/Fighting-type with decent Speed and a colossal Attack stat that only gets boosted by its hidden ability Moxie. On top of this, it can learn Flying-type moves making it unresisted by any Pokemon in the game. But what makes the Quaxly line really great is its advantage over most of the main trainers you'll battle throughout the game. With all these benefits, it looks like the Quaxly line is doing Quax-well for itself.
2 Piplup - Prinplup - Empoleon
Empoleon |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emperor |
84 |
86 |
88 |
111 |
101 |
60 |
Coming surprisingly high on this list is Gen Four's Piplup. As always, most trainers are looking for just how useful its final evolution can be here. In the case of Empoleon, it's undoubtedly one of the best defensive Water-types out there.
Empoleon is a Water/Steel-type, which gives it a whopping ten resistances and an immunity making it an incredible support pokemon in competitive play. While it has three weaknesses, it can easily handle any Ground-types with its Water attacks. And even though all three weaknesses are represented in the Sinnoh region, Empoleon is still bulky enough to hold its own. It is also a great fighter in Pokken Tournament. It's appropriate that Empoleon's a penguin because it's a king in its own right.
1 Mudkip - Marshtomp - Swampert
Swampert |
HP |
Attack |
Defense |
Special Attack |
Special Defense |
Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mud Fish |
100 |
110 |
90 |
85 |
90 |
60 |
None of the Pokemon on this list are as consistent as Swampert. Mostly known for its bulk and incredible dual-typing that gives it only a single weakness, the Mudkip line is one of the best starters you can choose. It has an advantage over three Gyms and even more if you teach it an Ice-type move. On top of that, only four Pokemon in the game stand out as a threat. And Swampert is just as good competitively.
Swampert is slow, but its Speed is its only subpar stat. It has high HP and Attack, with the rest of its stats being pretty solid. Its Mega Evolution puts it over the edge, though, and while it doesn't improve its Speed all too much, Swift Swim notwithstanding, everything else ends up being fantastic. Since its introduction, none of the starters are nearly as constant as Swampert.