Starting out in Cobblemon can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to choosing the best beginner Cobblemon to kickstart your journey. Some Cobblemon are easier to train, evolve quickly, and offer a well-rounded set of abilities that can help you through the early stages of the game. In this guide, we’ll look at the best beginner Cobblemon you should consider catching, evolving, and using to build a strong team as you explore the world of Cobblemon.
1. Bulbasaur (Grass/Poison)
Why Bulbasaur Is a Great Starter:
- Easy to Train: Bulbasaur evolves early at level 16 into Ivysaur, giving it a power boost relatively quickly.
- Dual Typing: As a Grass/Poison type, Bulbasaur is resistant to many common types like Water, Electric, and Fairy, making it easier to handle early-game battles.
- Status Moves: Bulbasaur learns useful moves like Leech Seed and Sleep Powder, which can help control difficult battles early on.
Recommended Role:
- Tanky Support: With access to healing moves like Synthesis and the ability to drain opponents’ health through Leech Seed, Bulbasaur can help sustain your team while dealing solid damage over time.
2. Charmander (Fire)
Why Charmander Is a Great Starter:
- Strong Offense: Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at level 16 and Charizard at level 36, gaining significant offensive power early in the game.
- Access to Fire-Type Moves: Charmander learns powerful Fire-type moves like Flamethrower, which are great for taking on Grass and Bug-type Cobblemon.
- Flying Type (upon Evolution): Once it evolves into Charizard, it gains the Flying type, providing an additional advantage against Fighting and Grass-types.
Recommended Role:
- Physical or Special Attacker: Charmander’s final evolution, Charizard, can be built as either a physical or special attacker, depending on the moves you teach it.
3. Squirtle (Water)
Why Squirtle Is a Great Starter:
- Solid Defenses: Squirtle has a good defensive stat line, making it a great choice for trainers who prefer Cobblemon that can take a hit.
- Water Type Advantage: Squirtle’s Water typing makes it especially useful in early-game battles against Rock and Ground types.
- Rapid Evolution: Squirtle evolves into Wartortle at level 16, providing a quick power spike in the early game.
Recommended Role:
- Defensive Wall: Squirtle can act as a defensive wall with moves like Protect and Surf. When fully evolved into Blastoise, it can dish out powerful Water-type moves while absorbing damage.
4. Eevee (Normal)
Why Eevee Is a Great Starter:
- Multiple Evolutions: Eevee is incredibly versatile, with multiple evolution options based on your team’s needs. You can evolve it into Vaporeon (Water), Jolteon (Electric), Flareon (Fire), and more.
- Balanced Stats: Eevee has fairly balanced stats, making it adaptable for different roles early in the game.
- Flexible Evolution Timing: Since Eevee’s evolution depends on items or conditions, you can choose when to evolve it based on your team’s current needs.
Recommended Role:
- Versatile All-Rounder: Depending on which evolution you choose, Eevee can fill various roles on your team. Vaporeon is a great tank, while Jolteon offers incredible speed and electric damage.
5. Pikachu (Electric)
Why Pikachu Is a Great Starter:
- Fast Learner: Pikachu learns Electric-type moves like Thunder Shock early on, giving you a quick advantage against Water and Flying types.
- Evolves with a Thunder Stone: Pikachu can evolve into Raichu using a Thunder Stone, offering a fast upgrade in power once you find the item.
- Iconic and Recognizable: Pikachu is a fan-favorite with access to a balanced set of offensive and supportive moves.
Recommended Role:
- Speedy Attacker: Pikachu excels in speed and special attacks, making it ideal for quickly taking down opponents before they can act. As Raichu, it becomes a versatile attacker with good coverage.
6. Pidgey (Normal/Flying)
Why Pidgey Is a Great Starter:
- Fast Evolution: Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at level 18 and Pidgeot at level 36, gaining power steadily throughout the early and mid-game.
- Flying Coverage: As a Flying-type, Pidgey is useful for taking down Bug, Grass, and Fighting types, which are common in early-game areas.
- Solid Speed: Pidgeot has good Speed stats, allowing it to outspeed many opponents and strike first.
Recommended Role:
- Flying Attacker: With access to moves like Gust, Wing Attack, and Hurricane, Pidgeot excels in taking down opponents with its strong Flying-type attacks.
7. Geodude (Rock/Ground)
Why Geodude Is a Great Starter:
- High Defense: Geodude’s Rock typing gives it high defense and resistance to common early-game threats like Normal and Flying types.
- Access to Ground Moves: Geodude learns powerful Ground-type moves like Magnitude and Earthquake, which are great for dealing with Electric-types and other common threats.
- Sturdy Ability: Geodude’s Sturdy ability prevents it from being knocked out in one hit, which is invaluable in tough battles.
Recommended Role:
- Physical Tank and Attacker: Geodude excels as a physical tank, absorbing damage while dishing out powerful Rock- and Ground-type moves. As it evolves into Golem, it becomes an even more formidable physical attacker.
8. Gastly (Ghost/Poison)
Why Gastly Is a Great Starter:
- Unique Typing: As a Ghost/Poison type, Gastly is immune to Normal- and Fighting-type moves, making it a good defensive choice in the early game.
- Special Attacker: Gastly and its evolutions, Haunter and Gengar, have access to strong special attacks like Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb.
- Fast Evolution: Gastly evolves into Haunter at level 25 and can evolve into Gengar when traded, giving it a quick power boost.
Recommended Role:
- Special Sweeper: With high Speed and Special Attack, Gengar can dominate opponents with powerful Ghost and Poison-type moves.
9. Machop (Fighting)
Why Machop Is a Great Starter:
- Access to Fighting Moves: Machop learns powerful Fighting-type moves like Karate Chop and Low Sweep early on, making it great for dealing with Rock, Normal, and Dark-types.
- Strong Physical Attacker: Machop’s line evolves into Machoke and Machamp, which have excellent physical attack stats, making them reliable offensive powerhouses.
- Early Evolution: Machop evolves into Machoke at level 28, giving it a strong mid-game presence.
Recommended Role:
- Physical Attacker: Machop excels in dishing out damage with powerful Fighting-type moves, and as Machamp, it can take down many early-game opponents with ease.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Cobblemon as a beginner is key to building a strong and balanced team. Cobblemon like Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle offer classic and reliable options with fast evolutions, while more unique choices like Gastlyand Eevee give you flexibility and strategy as you explore the world. Whether you’re looking for a physical attacker, a special sweeper, or a tank, these beginner Cobblemon will help you on your journey to becoming a master trainer.
Which starter Cobblemon did you pick? Let us know in our Discord!