Top 10 Worst Starter Pokémon

MandJTV

25 May 202417:58

Summary

TLDRIn this video, the host revisits the topic of worst Pokémon starters, evolving his ranking criteria from a previous video. He now focuses on how certain starters make the game more challenging due to their type disadvantages and lack of utility in their respective games. The ranking includes familiar faces like Chikorita and Charmander, with Pikachu in Yellow Version taking the top spot for its inability to evolve and overall weakness. The host provides a detailed analysis of each starter's performance against gym leaders and emphasizes the importance of type matchups in making strategic choices in Pokémon games.

Takeaways

🔄 The video creator, Michael, has evolved in his ranking method since his last video, now focusing on how starters perform in the games rather than just criticizing them.
🌟 The ranking is based on which starters make the game more difficult when chosen, considering their effectiveness against gym leaders and other battles.
🔍 Spatio is not a bad starter overall, but it has some weaknesses and requires patience to become strong, making it the 10th worst starter to pick.
🐢 Squirtle from Kanto is beneficial against the first gym but struggles in subsequent gyms, making it replaceable and the 8th worst starter.
🦊 Sableye is the least effective of the Galar starters, only excelling in one major battle and being frail in double battles, ranking it as the 7th worst.
🔥 Ash is particularly limited in Black and White, only excelling in one gym battle and being weak in several others, placing it at number 6.
🌿 Squirtle in X and Y suffers from being a water type in a region where it isn't the best choice, and it never gets a secondary type to improve its utility, making it the 5th worst starter.
🌱 Chespin is the least effective of the Kalos starters, being weak to many gym leaders and only shining in the last two gyms, ranking it as the 4th worst.
🔥 Charmander in Kanto is a challenging choice due to being weak against the first two gyms and not providing much utility afterward, making it the 3rd worst starter.
🌿 Chikorita is infamous for being a poor choice, with a pure grass type that has many weaknesses and limited usefulness in its home region, ranking it as the 2nd worst starter.
⚡ Pikachu in Yellow Version is the worst starter because it cannot evolve and has a low base stat total, making it a weak choice throughout the game.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the video?
-The main purpose of the video was to rank the top 10 worst starters in Pokémon games based on which ones make the game more difficult when selected.
How has the creator's perspective on ranking Pokémon changed over time?
-The creator has evolved in their perspective, moving away from simply criticizing Pokémon others like to a more balanced approach that acknowledges personal growth and changing opinions on certain Pokémon.
What is the ranking method used for the video?
-The ranking method is based on which starters are the worst to pick in the games in terms of making the game more difficult, rather than just criticizing Pokémon for the sake of it.
Why did the creator choose to include Spatio on the list?
-Spatio was included because, despite not being a bad starter with some strengths, it has several weaknesses and requires more patience to become effective, making it somewhat flawed.
What is the issue with Squirtle as a starter in the Kanto region?
-Squirtle struggles after being useful against the first gym, Brock. It is weak against several subsequent gyms and, while it eventually becomes useful again, it is replaceable by other water types available later in the game.
How does Sableone's performance in the Galar region compare to the other two starters?
-Sableone gets the worst order of gym matchups in the Galar region, being weak or not particularly helpful in several of the early gym battles, making it less effective than the other starters.
What makes Turtwig, the starter from the Sinnoh region, a less desirable choice?
-Turtwig, and its evolutions, have limited opportunities to excel due to a lack of secondary typing and facing several gym leaders with Pokémon that either resist or are strong against it.
Why is Squirtle's performance in X and Y considered poor?
-Squirtle in X and Y is weak against several gym leaders and does not receive a secondary type to help it in battles, making it a less effective choice compared to other starters.
What are some of the challenges Snivy faces in the Unova region gyms?
-Snivy faces challenges as it is weak against multiple gym leaders and does not have many opportunities to excel due to the types of Pokémon used by the gym leaders.
How does Chespin's performance in the Kalos region compare to other starters?
-Chespin is considered the worst of the Kalos starters because it is weak to several gym leaders and does not have the opportunity to shine until late in the game, making it a less effective choice.
What makes Charmander a difficult starter to use in the Kanto region?
-Charmander is weak to the first two gym leaders, which is a significant disadvantage early in the game when team options are limited. It also does not provide much help beyond the third gym leader.
Why is Chikorita considered one of the worst starters?
-Chikorita is considered one of the worst starters due to its pure Grass typing, which gives it multiple weaknesses, a limited move pool, and lack of useful abilities, making it less effective throughout the game.
What makes Pikachu in Yellow Version the worst starter of all?
-Pikachu in Yellow Version is considered the worst starter because it cannot evolve, has a low base stat total, and its pure Electric typing is not as effective as other starters, making it a weak choice throughout the game.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Ranking the Worst Starter Pokémon in the Games

The video script discusses a ranking of the top 10 worst starter Pokémon to choose in the games based on their effectiveness. It mentions that the ranking method has evolved and now focuses on which starters make the game more difficult. The script acknowledges that Sprigatito from Scarlet and Violet isn't a bad starter but is included due to its weaknesses and resistances in early game battles. Squirtle from Kanto is highlighted for its initial strength against the first gym but its subsequent weaknesses against later gyms. The ranking aims to provide insight into which starters require more patience or strategy to use effectively in their respective games.

05:02

🌊 Squirtle's Struggles and Starter Weaknesses

This paragraph delves into the specific challenges faced when choosing Squirtle as a starter in the X and Y games, where its water typing is less advantageous. It also discusses the general issue of starters without secondary typing, using Mudkip as an example of how a secondary typing can significantly impact a starter's effectiveness. Mega Evolutions for the Kanto starters are critiqued, with Mega Blastoise's Mega Launcher ability being highlighted as underwhelming compared to the other Kanto starters' Mega Evolutions. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of type coverage and resistances when evaluating the strength of a starter Pokémon.

10:03

🐍 The Trials of Chespin and Charmander Starters

The script continues with an analysis of Chespin from X and Y, detailing its weaknesses against multiple gym leaders and its limited utility due to a lack of secondary typing. It also discusses Charmander's challenges in the Kanto region, where it is weak against the first two gyms and only becomes useful later in the game. The paragraph highlights the importance of a starter's typing and evolution in relation to the gym leaders' teams and the overall game strategy. It emphasizes the difficulty of using these starters due to their type disadvantages and the lack of opportunities to shine throughout the game.

15:04

🌿 Chikorita's Infamy and Pikachu's Unique Challenge

The final paragraph addresses the notorious Chikorita line, known for being one of the least effective starters, particularly in its home region of Johto. It points out Chikorita's pure grass typing, lack of useful abilities, and the removal of Bayleaf's Headleaf ability as significant drawbacks. The paragraph also introduces Pikachu from Yellow Version as the worst starter due to its inability to evolve, resulting in a permanently weaker Pokémon compared to the others. The video script concludes by emphasizing the importance of a starter's growth and evolution in determining its overall effectiveness in the game.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Starters

Starters in the context of Pokémon games refer to the first Pokémon that a player can choose at the beginning of the game. These are typically the Pokémon that represent the three basic types: Grass, Fire, and Water. In the video, the term 'starters' is central as the script discusses the effectiveness of different starters in making the game more difficult or easier to progress through.

💡Ragebait

Ragebait is a term used to describe content that is intentionally provocative or controversial, designed to elicit strong emotional reactions, often anger, from viewers. In the script, the creator admits to previously using the strategy of calling a Pokémon 'ugly' to attract views, which is an example of ragebait.

💡Evolution

In Pokémon, evolution refers to the process by which a Pokémon changes and grows into a stronger form, often gaining new abilities or types. The script mentions the creator's personal evolution in ranking methods, as well as the Pokémon's evolution in the games, which affects their usefulness and effectiveness in battles.

💡Type Effectiveness

Type effectiveness is a fundamental mechanic in Pokémon games where certain types of moves are strong or weak against other types. The script frequently discusses how the type of a starter Pokémon affects its performance against gym leaders and other battles, determining whether it is good, neutral, or weak against an opponent.

💡Gym Battles

Gym battles are a series of challenges that players must face against gym leaders in order to progress in the game. Each gym leader specializes in a particular type of Pokémon. The script ranks starters based on their performance in these gym battles, highlighting how certain starters may struggle against specific gym leaders.

💡Mega Evolution

Mega Evolution is a temporary transformation that certain Pokémon can undergo during battle, granting them new abilities and increased stats. The script mentions Mega Venusaur, Mega Charizard X, and Mega Charizard Y, discussing how these forms impact the effectiveness of the starters in later stages of the game.

💡BST (Base Stat Total)

BST stands for Base Stat Total, which is the sum of a Pokémon's base stats: HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. It is used to gauge the overall potential strength of a Pokémon. The script uses BST to argue why certain starters, like Pikachu in Yellow Version, are considered weak.

💡Partner Pokémon

Partner Pokémon are special versions of Pokémon with higher stats and unique abilities. The script contrasts the regular Pikachu in Yellow Version with the Partner Pikachu from Pokémon Let's Go, which has a higher BST and special moves, illustrating the disparity in strength between the two.

💡Move Pool

The move pool refers to the set of moves that a Pokémon can learn throughout its life. A Pokémon with a shallow move pool, like Meganium mentioned in the script, has limited options for attacks and abilities, which can make it less versatile and effective in battles.

💡Type Coverage

Type coverage is the range of different types that a Pokémon's moves can affect. A good type coverage allows a Pokémon to deal with a variety of opponents. The script discusses how certain starters, like Charmander, have overlapping offensive types, which can limit their effectiveness against specific gym leaders.

💡Ineffectiveness

Ineffectiveness in Pokémon refers to a situation where a Pokémon's moves have little or no impact on an opponent due to type advantages or resistances. The script uses this term to describe how certain starters are not helpful in specific gym battles, such as Squirtle against electric and grass types.

Highlights

The video ranks the top 10 worst Pokémon starters based on their in-game performance rather than personal dislike.

Spatio is not a bad starter but has a limited number of good matchups before evolving into Meowstic.

Squirtle in Kanto is beneficial early on against the first gym but struggles in subsequent gym battles.

Sableye faces a challenging order of gyms, excelling only in the first and having limited usefulness afterward.

Ashewott's lack of secondary typing limits its effectiveness, especially in Black and White versions.

Squirtle in X and Y suffers from being a Water-type with no secondary typing to aid in various gym battles.

Snivy's Grass-type is weak against multiple gym leaders, making it a challenging choice in Black and White games.

Chespin's Grass/Fighting typing makes it weak to a significant number of gym battles in X and Y.

Charmander is a difficult choice in Kanto due to being weak to the first two gyms and having limited usefulness afterward.

Chikorita is infamous for its poor performance as a starter, especially in its home region of Johto.

Pikachu in Yellow Version is the worst starter due to its inability to evolve and having a low base stat total.

The video emphasizes the importance of a starter's typing and evolution in relation to gym battles.

Some starters like Mudkip benefit greatly from secondary typing, which improves their in-game performance.

Mega Evolutions can significantly impact a starter's effectiveness, as seen with Mega Blastoise's limited power-up.

The video creator has evolved in their ranking method, now focusing on objective in-game performance over personal bias.

A subscription reminder is given halfway through the video to ensure viewers receive future content.

The video concludes by emphasizing that despite their rankings, all starters can still lead to a strong team at the end of the game.