Dual-type grass with an opening mismatch
Bulbasaur
Should you invest? Vine Whip uses physical 0.97, not special 1.06. Poison attacks offer a later special route. Its two types widen the natural pool but remove the single-type bonus.
How to get Bulbasaur: it is one of the 29 official starter choices. Decline the personality-test suggestion to choose another. Do not spend tickets chasing a species available from this selection. It also has 1-star rarity in the Kanto banner; no unconditional species pull percentage is implied.
Opening move: Vine Whip is physical: 16 raw damage, 19 base runtime damage and 0.62 s cooldown. Evolution requires level 5 plus a Power stat card taken during this run, followed by the evolution offer. Permanent purchases are not that run card.
Build direction: base stats favor special investment. Consider Nasty Plot and verified natural attacks such as Petal Blizzard, Grass Knot, Sludge as later choices, not a guaranteed card order. The natural pool is Normal plus its own types; taught TMs add species-specific exceptions. A Bond can combine attacks after you decide which should fire together.
Compare before spending coins: Chikorita has HP 90, speed 97, physical ×0.97 and special ×0.97, versus Bulbasaur: 90, 97, ×0.97 and ×1.06. This comparison excludes nature, abilities, permanent upgrades and items; no farming time or clear percentage was measured.
Survival limits: grass / poison determines weaknesses and natural attacks. Consult this game's softened type chart, not main-series multipliers. Dual-type partners do not get the single-type 20% bonus. Leftovers heals while Quick Claw reduces cooldown. Only one held item fits, and neither replaces dodging.
| Dex / region | 001 / Kanto |
|---|---|
| Types / rarity | grass / poison / 1 stars |
| HP / speed | 90 / 97 |
| Physical / special | ×0.97 / ×1.06 |
| Defense / special defense | 49 / 65 |
| Start / evolution | Vine Whip; level 5 + Power → Vine Whip + |
| Source version | 680c3e1; reviewed 2026-10-27 |
Questions
Is Bulbasaur a starter?
Yes. It appears in the official 29-entry selection; decline the personality suggestion to choose another.
What powers Vine Whip?
Physical attack. The physical and special multipliers are separate, and the base fields do not already include a nature or own-type bonus.
Is this a tested best build?
No. It is a source-based starter decision with natural-pool directions. No clears, farming times or win rates were measured.
Sources
- Official starter selection (680c3e1; checked 2026-10-27)
- Official species stats (680c3e1; checked 2026-10-27)
- Official move and evolution data (680c3e1; checked 2026-10-27)
- Official English names (680c3e1; checked 2026-10-27)
- Official held items (680c3e1; checked 2026-10-27)
Last checked 2026-10-27. Numbers above are omitted when a source did not state them.