Physical potential does not power Water Gun
Mudkip
Should you invest? Water Gun uses special 0.97, not physical 1.08. Compare Oshawott if the first projectile is your priority rather than later physical moves.
How to get Mudkip: 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 Hoenn banner; no unconditional species pull percentage is implied.
Opening move: Water Gun is special: 14 raw damage, 14 base runtime damage and 0.44 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 physical investment. Consider Swords Dance and verified natural attacks such as Tackle, Quick Attack, Body Slam 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: Oshawott has HP 95, speed 97, physical ×1.00 and special ×1.05, versus Mudkip: 92, 95, ×1.08 and ×0.97. This comparison excludes nature, abilities, permanent upgrades and items; no farming time or clear percentage was measured.
Survival limits: water determines weaknesses and natural attacks. Consult this game's softened type chart, not main-series multipliers. The 20% own-type bonus requires an attack matching its single type. Leftovers heals while Quick Claw reduces cooldown. Only one held item fits, and neither replaces dodging.
| Dex / region | 258 / Hoenn |
|---|---|
| Types / rarity | water / 1 stars |
| HP / speed | 92 / 95 |
| Physical / special | ×1.08 / ×0.97 |
| Defense / special defense | 50 / 50 |
| Start / evolution | Water Gun; level 5 + Power → Water Gun + |
| Source version | 680c3e1; reviewed 2026-10-27 |
Questions
Is Mudkip a starter?
Yes. It appears in the official 29-entry selection; decline the personality suggestion to choose another.
What powers Water Gun?
Special 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.