First partner Pokémon

All first partner Pokémon of the Pokémon series.

A first partner Pokémon (also known as Starter Pokémon) is a terminology concept that refers to Pokémon that the player must choose between in the beginning of each Pokémon video game. These Pokémon are rare in the wild and entrusted to certain Pokémon Professors by the Pokémon League, with a set number to be given out to starting Pokémon Trainers ages ten and older once a year along with a Pokémon Trainer's License at the professor's laboratory. While it's not explicitly required in-universe that a new trainer obtains a first partner Pokémon as their first it's generally recommended as these Pokémon are generally easier to care for and raise. There are always three Pokémon to choose between. One will be a Water type, another one Grass, and the last one Fire (excluding Pikachu and Eevee in Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition and Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! respectively). The three types create a circle, where each Pokémon is weak to one of the others and strong to the other one. In the games, the player's rival always chooses the Pokémon with a type advantage (disadvantage from Sun and Moon onwards) over the player's Pokémon.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus have their first partners come from different generations and their final evolved forms have Regional forms.

It is said that the first partner Pokémon are extremely rare in the wild, accounting for their uniqueness in each game. In the creative process, first partner Pokémon are the Pokémon from each game that the most work goes into, and usually take significantly more time than other Pokémon in each generation.

In Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Partner Pokémon (Japanese: 相棒ポケモン Partner Pokémon) refers to the special Pikachu or Eevee the player starts with in the game. As the names of the two titles imply, players of Let's Go, Pikachu! receive a Pikachu as their partner, while players of Let's Go, Eevee! receive Eevee. While the player can capture and train other Pikachu and Eevee in both games, the partner Pokémon has various special differences from their typical variants.

In the First Pokémon Generation, their remakes, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, first partner Pokémon had been Version mascots.

It should be noted that Bulbasaur, while typically known as a Grass Pokémon, is also a Poison type as well. When leveling up, some First partner Pokémon will also gain a second type as well, such as Charizard becoming a Fire and Flying type and Torterra becoming a Grass and Ground type (Rowlet started as Grass and Flying, ended up with Ghost or Fighting (for Hisuian) as Decidueye).

List of first partner Pokémon

Pokémon	Game(s)	Type	Information
Bulbasaur	Red Blue FireRed LeafGreen X* Y*		This Pokémon is the first in the Pokémon series. It is a Grass type Pokémon with a big flower on its back. Bulbasaur is the one of the First partner Pokémon with two types alongside Rowlet.
Charmander	Red Blue FireRed LeafGreen X* Y*		Charmander is a red Pokémon that has powerful fire abilities. If its fire tip on its tail burns out, it will die.
Squirtle	Red Blue FireRed LeafGreen X* Y*		Squirtle is a cute turtle Pokémon that uses water as its form of attack. Playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Pikachu	Yellow Let's Go Pikachu		The world's most popular Pokémon and the mascot of the Pokémon series. It is also the only first partner Pokémon that is Electric type. Playable in all Super Smash Bros. games.
Eevee	Let's Go Eevee		The only first partner Pokémon that is a Normal-type. Evolves into one of eight different Pokémon through various methods.
Chikorita	Gold Silver Crystal HeartGold SoulSilver		A Grass type Pokémon that emits spicy aromas, which explains why it can learn Sweet Scent.
Cyndaquil	Gold Silver Crystal HeartGold SoulSilver Legends: Arceus		A Fire type Pokémon that has fire coming out of it. It can let the fire from its back come in and out.
Totodile	Gold Silver Crystal HeartGold SoulSilver		A Water type Pokémon that has powerful jaws. Once it bites onto its foe, it won't let go for a while.
Treecko	Ruby Sapphire Emerald Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire		A Grass type gecko Pokémon. It can stick to ceilings due to having tiny spikes on its hands and feet.
Torchic	Ruby Sapphire Emerald Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire		A Fire type Pokémon that can send out scorching hot fireballs and leave its foes burning.
Mudkip	Ruby Sapphire Emerald Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire		A Water type Pokémon. There is a meme that says So I herd you liek Mudikpz. It is based on a mud fish.
Turtwig	Diamond Pearl Platinum Brilliant Diamond Shining Pearl		A Grass type turtle Pokémon that can learn Withdraw as its basic move.
Chimchar	Diamond Pearl Platinum Brilliant Diamond Shining Pearl		A Fire monkey that has a fire tail. It is the Sinnoh fire type first partner Pokémon. It sets out the fire on its tail when it sleeps.
Piplup	Diamond Pearl Platinum Brilliant Diamond Shining Pearl		The Water-type first partner Pokémon of Sinnoh. It resembles a penguin. It lives in icy mountains and hates accepting food from humans that aren't its Trainer.
Snivy	Black White Black 2 White 2		A reptilian Grass type Pokémon. It is classified as the Grass Snake Pokémon and uses its tail to attack opponents.
Tepig	Black White Black 2 White 2		Tepig is the Fire Pig Pokémon. It is able to breathe fire out of its mouth to unleash powerful attacks.
Oshawott	Black White Black 2 White 2 Legends: Arceus		Oshawott is the Water-type first partner Pokémon of the Unova and Hisui regions. The shell on its stomach can be thrown at its enemies.
Chespin	X Y		Chespin is the Grass-type first partner Pokémon of the Kalos region. It can use its spines on its back to protect itself.
Fennekin	X Y		Fennekin is the Fire-type first partner Pokémon of the Kalos region.
Froakie	X Y		Froakie is the Water-type first partner Pokémon of the Kalos region.
Rowlet	Sun Moon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon Legends: Arceus		Rowlet is the Grass-type first partner Pokémon of the Alola and Hisui regions. Rowlet is the one of the First partner Pokémon with two types alongside Bulbasaur.
Litten	Sun Moon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon		Litten is the Fire-type first partner Pokémon of the Alola region.
Popplio	Sun Moon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon		Popplio is the Water-type first partner Pokémon of the Alola region.
Grookey	Sword Shield		Grookey is the grass-type first partner Pokémon of the Galar region.
Scorbunny	Sword Shield		Scorbunny is the fire-type first partner Pokémon of the Galar region.
Sobble	Sword Shield		Sobble is the water-type first partner Pokémon of the Galar region.
Sprigatito	Scarlet Violet		Sprigatito is the grass-type first partner Pokémon of the Paldea region in Scarlet and Violet.
Fuecoco	Scarlet Violet		Fuecoco is the fire-type first partner Pokémon of the Paldea region in Scarlet and Violet.
Quaxly	Scarlet Violet		Quaxly is the water-type first partner Pokémon of the Paldea region in Scarlet and Violet.

Other first partners

• Alolan Meowth is given out by Nanu as a first partner on Ula'ula Island in Alola. It is implied that kahunas are responsible for giving out first partners on their respective islands, so it is possible the other kahunas give out different Pokémon to the standard Alolan first partner Pokémon given by Hala.
• Poipole's Pokédex entry in Pokémon Ultra Sun refers to it as a popular first partner in its world.

Gallery

All first partner Pokémon of the Pokémon franchise.

All first partner Pokémon from the first seven generations seen in Acacia.

Pokémon 25th Anniversary artwork, excluding Eevee.

All Grass-type first partner Pokémon, excluding Sprigatito.

All Fire-type first partner Pokémon, excluding Fuecoco.

All Water-type first partner Pokémon, excluding Quaxly.

The first partner Pokémon of the First Pokémon Generation, taken from Pokémon Day 2022, artwork by Megumi Mizutani.

The first partner Pokémon of the First Pokémon Generation, including Pikachu and Eevee.

The first partner Pokémon of the Second Pokémon Generation, as seen in the anime.

The first partner Pokémon of the Third Pokémon generation, as seen in the anime.

The first partner Pokémon of the Fourth Pokémon generation, as seen in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, alongside Shaymin.

The first partner Pokémon of the Fifth Pokémon generation, as seen in the anime.

The first partner Pokémon of the Sixth Pokémon generation, as seen in the anime.

The first partner Pokémon of the Seventh Pokémon generation, as seen in the anime.

The first partner Pokémon of the Eighth Pokémon generation, seen as a Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The first partner Pokémon of the Ninth Pokémon generation.

Rei and the First partner Pokémon of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, seen in Pokémon The Arceus Chronicles.

All first partner Pokémon returned to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.