Maximum starter HP, minimum speed
Slowpoke
Should you invest? HP 110 leads all starters while speed 84 is lowest. Confusion homes but uses special 0.92, not physical 1.06. Psyduck trades HP for movement and stronger opening special scaling.
How to get Slowpoke: 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: Confusion is special: 13 raw damage, 13 base runtime damage and 0.58 s cooldown. Evolution requires level 5 plus a Reflexes 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: Psyduck has HP 92, speed 101, physical ×0.99 and special ×1.06, versus Slowpoke: 110, 84, ×1.06 and ×0.92. This comparison excludes nature, abilities, permanent upgrades and items; no farming time or clear percentage was measured.
Survival limits: water / psychic 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 | 079 / Kanto |
|---|---|
| Types / rarity | water / psychic / 1 stars |
| HP / speed | 110 / 84 |
| Physical / special | ×1.06 / ×0.92 |
| Defense / special defense | 65 / 40 |
| Start / evolution | Confusion; level 5 + Reflexes → Confusion + |
| Source version | 680c3e1; reviewed 2026-10-27 |
Questions
Is Slowpoke a starter?
Yes. It appears in the official 29-entry selection; decline the personality suggestion to choose another.
What powers Confusion?
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.