Best Pokémon in FireRed and LeafGreen on a Bulbasaur Team

The latest re-release of Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen has given previous fans, and newer players who never got a chance at these games, a lot of thinking to do. Any run in a Pokémon game is determined by the team chosen to go to the Elite Four, and players can argue through the emotional and logical elements of these teams for days.

The first major choice about these teams comes right away with the choice of starter Pokémon. Bulbasaur, the grass-type starter in generation one, is considered the easiest way to start the game. He has a type advantage over the first two gyms, and Venusaur is definitely the best grass-type Pokémon in the game. Of course, with the assumption that he stays on the team, players have to make important decisions about the rest of their final squad.

10 Hitmonlee

Handed on a Platter

Fighting-type Pokémon are tricky. Sometimes, I think it better not to include them in the Elite Four team, because they are often glass cannons. But Hitmonlee is worth the risk for the huge reward. This kicking, fighting Pokémon is available in the bonus Fighting gym in Saffron City as a reward for beating the gym leader there.

His moveset is absolutely incredible, including Hi Jump Kick, Brick Break, and Mega Kick. I think in a team with strong, tanky Pokémon like Venusaur, Hitmonlee is a worthy risk to take. He is also a great counter for Ice Pokémon, like those of the first Elite Four member, Lorelai. Given Venusaur is weak to Ice Pokémon, this is an important fix for your team.

9 Starmie

A Real Five-Star Pokémon

It would be easy to fill an entire list with the best water-type Pokémon to include in a FireRed & LeafGreen team. And I’m pretty sure I’d have used every one that can be named in the Elite Four. But Starmie is undeniably one of the best. A tanky water-type with over 500 base stats, Starmie can be caught as Staryu on some water routes a little later in the game.

I don’t mind catching my water-type late in this game, since they can be trained so easily on Cinnabar Island and can be used to sweep the final two gyms. Starmie’s moveset is a huge advantage, as it learns Recover, Confuse Ray, and can be given Surf once it’s acquired to make it a perfect counter to many typings. Starmie is also part Psychic, which can make for an advantage in tackling Psychic types late in the game. As one of Venusaur’s weaknesses, that is hugely important.

8 Zapdos

The Legendary Worth Having

I always say Articuno and Moltres are great, but Zapdos is the best of the legendary birds from Generation 1. This is partly because I think the design is cool, and partly because a strong electric-type is worth its weight in gold in this generation. Additionally, being an electric/flying mix makes Zapdos one of the best possible compliments to a Venusaur in your team.

Zapdos is an excellent counter to flying-types, which Venusaur is weak against. It is also incredibly fast, and can take a hit, making it a strong option for dealing with Psychic types in the late-game. Zapdos is the perfect last catch to round out your team before the Elite Four, and it comes at Level 50 already, meaning very little training is required.

7 Nidoking/Nidoqueen

The Ground-Type Champions

I think it is incredibly important to have a ground-type as you progress in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen. While Golem is a great option, he’s only attainable through trading. But Nidoking or Nidoqueen can be evolved with only a moon stone, and they can be captured as early as Route 3, just after fighting Brock in the first gym.

These Pokémon will be excellent against flying and fire types, two of Venusaur’s major weaknesses. They can also be taught Earthquake, a move so powerful and reliable that it can take out entire Elite Four members with nothing else being used. With this in hand, players will have a huge addition to their team, worth including another team member weak to Psychic moves.

6 Jolteon

The Ultimate Counter

There are very few Pokémon in FireRed & LeafGreen that can handle Psychic-type Pokémon. Venusaur is definitely weak to them. So, if a player starts with Bulbasaur, they’re going to really want to consider Jolteon. While not a Bug-Pokemon, Jolteon can learn Pin Missile, as powerful a bug-move as Gen 1 gets, and I’ve used it on several occasions to take out powerful Pokémon like your rival’s Alakazam in the Champion fight.

Additionally, Jolteon is one of the fastest Pokémon in this generation, and good electric-types are also rare. It can handle Venusaur’s flying weakness as well, making it well worth seeking out. Not only that, Eevee is easily found in Celadon City if players just know where to look. Having Venusaur as a tank means players need to look for a speedy addition to their team, and Jolteon is perfect.

5 Sandslash

Ground-Type Has Many Uses

There are always incredibly powerful moves in Pokémon games that players want on their team. Earthquake was one from the start, and it remains one to this very day. Sandslash is a Pokémon which can be found relatively early on in LeafGreen, although it cannot be found in the wild in FireRed.

Ground Pokémon are great against fire and ice types, both of which Bulbasaur and its evolutions are weak against. Additionally, Sandslash can learn rock-type moves, which make it strong against flying-types, another weakness of Venusaur. A ground or rock type is an important bit of team diversity in any case, but especially when using Bulbasaur as your starter. For years, I personally underestimated Sandslash, but the diversity of moves it can learn and strong attack mean it is well-worth adding to your Elite Four team.

4 Snorlax

The Sleeping Tank

I’m a big proponent of always having a normal-type Pokémon in the team. This mostly comes down to them only being weak against fighting types. One weakness is a useful thing, and if you get a highly defensive, or high-HP Pokémon in this type, they can be really rough for enemies to bring down.

Venusaur is also a tank, but a team should have a couple of them, in my opinion. Snorlax is easily the best normal type in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen. He can be found sleeping on Route 12 and Route 16, giving players two chances to capture one after using the Poké Flute to wake him. Don’t forget to use the ItemFinder on the spots where he slept. This will give the player Leftovers, an item that pairs incredibly well with Snorlax. With moves like Strength, or even Double-Edge, and his ability to Rest, Snorlax is a rough fight for anyone. Additionally, one of Venusaur’s big weaknesses is Psychic-types, which Snorlax is great at countering.

3 Arcanine

Intimidating Fire Strength

Sometimes, you just need the opposite of your starter in a Pokémon game. Bulbasaur is a grass-type Pokémon; Arcanine is the scariest thing to it. Keep your enemies closer, I always say. Growlithe can be found on several routes in Pokémon FireRed, and is a great addition to any team, not just for his intimidate ability, which cuts opponent attack and makes him devastating.

Besides that, Arcanine is also just cool. When I was young, I thought he was the dog I never had, and an awesome one to boot. Once he learns an attack like Flamethrower, he will easily get rid of the Ice-types that Venusaur will be weak against, and his speed and ferocity make him a suitable counter for fire-types as well. Arcanine is a true S-tier Pokémon, and his inclusion in your team will only bring it from strength to strength.

2 Alakazam

Hard to Get, But Worth It

If we’re being honest, even if you can’t get Alakazam (since he’s a trade evolution only) it is probably worth taking Kadabra to the Elite Four in any Generation 1 team. In that generation specifically, Psychic-types were overpowered in a huge way, and it is difficult to counter them since all the Gen 1 ghost types are also poison, and there are barely any good bug-type moves.

I’ve long struggled with wanting to get Alakazam, and have managed it in older games a couple of times, only to find it pretty much makes every other Pokémon irrelevant. His strength is terrifying, and his move set, which can include Reflect and Recover as well as the terrifying Psychic, will gun through most teams single-handedly. It doesn’t matter what your starting Pokémon was; you’ll want Alakazam on any Gen 1 team.

1 Lapras

A Perfect Counter to Bulbasaur’s Weaknesses

Okay, I’m biased here, Lapras is my favourite Pokémon of all time. However, a Pokémon handed to you in Silph Co for free, already at Level 25, which can learn Surf and Ice Beam, is awesome. Lapras is hugely useful, especially if you start with Bulbasaur. With Ice Beam, it can take out flying-types easily, and with Surf, it can take out fire-types. It’ll also be a fairly strong counter against other ice-type Pokémon, meaning Lapras tackles almost all of Venusaur’s weaknesses.

Not only that, strong Special Defence and HP stats mean Lapras is a good counter for the always fearsome psychic-type Pokémon that Venusaur is also weak against. I’ve used Lapras on many teams as such a big fan of it, and found it to be a leader throughout the Elite Four every time. It’s also easy to train, being so strong against the final three gym leaders after receiving it.