Pikachu and Raichu

#025 Pikachu

 Pikachu: It occasionally uses an electric shock to recharge a fellow Pikachu that is in a weakened state.

Type: Electric

Stats:
HP         Attack        Defense
35             55               30

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
90             50               40

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 2,000

Evolution: Use Thunder Stone

Weaknesses: Ground; Rock

Strengths: Water; Flying; Steel

Ah Pikachu, the "mascot" of the pokémon world. A lot of people think "Pikachu" when they hear "pokémon." The anime comes to mind with Ash and his super strong incredible Pikachu. This little pokémon means so much to so many players and so many people can't wait to get in and find their own Pikachu to train so they can be like Red or Ash; but how good is Pikachu really? If you take a look at its stats, not very good at all. Pikachu is fast, and even its attack and defense are decent, but that's all they are. Decent. It's defense is awfully low, as is the "norm" with electric type pokémon. It also has high speed, but that attack and speed won't necessarily get you very far. I'm not saying Pikachu is no good at all, in fact if you are experienced enough and know what you are doing, Pikachu can get you quite far, but so many people don't want to evolve their Pikachus merely because of the anime or because of the character "Red" (since they never evolved their Pikachus). However, I can tell you that Raichu is totally worth it and will do much, much better than any Pikachu.

#026 Raichu

Raichu: Its tail discharges electricity into the ground, protecting it from getting shocked.

Type: Electric

Stats:
HP          Attack          Defense
60              90                55

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
100           90               80

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 2,000

Weaknesses: Ground; Rock

Strengths: Water; Flying; Steel

Raichu is where it's at! As you can see, his stats are much better than Pikachu's, but he is still lacking in areas of defense and HP. Special defense is up a good amount though, and that can save him in some situations, but keep in mind that Electric type's weaknesses usually use Attack moves which will affect the Defense stat, which is still very low. Attack, special attack and speed have gone up significantly though, and with the right move set this pokémon can take down the right opponents before they even know what hit them!

In summary, Pikachu is great but he should be evolved in my opinion. He'll do much better. Raichu is a great electric type to have in your team, but watch out for his low defense and HP, because that can take him down fast. Raichu can attack hard though and take down the right foes with awesome speed.

Ekans and Arbok

#023 Ekans

Ekans: It sneaks through the grass without making a sound and strikes unsuspecting prey from behind.

Type: Poison

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
35              60           44              

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
55              40           54                  

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 5,000

Evolution: Level 22

Weaknesses: Ground; Psychic

Strengths: Fighting; Poison; Grass; Bug

Ekans is a very popular pokémon with team rocket and short-wearing youngsters. As cool as Ekans may look, I can't stand him. I have tried time and time again to raise an Ekans so I could get an Arbok, but have never been able to. Raising an Ekans is very difficult, since his defense is so low and poison-type moves are not very strong and often use special attack, which Ekans greatly lacks. When he eventually learns moves like Bite you can kind of start to get somewhere, but not very quickly. Only his attack stat is decent, and compared to pokémon we've seen up to this point it isn't very good. If a pokémon is used by team rocket, then you know it probably isn't a great one to have in one's own team. Personally, I've never been able to keep him long enough to evolve him. I find Ekans to be insufferable and not worthy of a team spot. He's simply too weak.

#024 Arbok

Arbok: The pattern on its belly is for intimidation. It constricts foes while they are frozen in fear.

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
60              85            69                

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
60              65              79          

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 5,000

Evolution: Final Stage

Weaknesses: Ground; Psychic

Strengths: Fighting; Poison; Grass; Bug

I can't give an honest opinion of raising an Arbok, since I've never raised one, but if Ekans is anything to go by he may not be as awesome as I've always hoped. Looking at his stats, his attack is pretty good, but his speed and defense aren't enough to keep him going for long. With a slower speed, he's likely to strike second, and with a low defense, he won't be able to take a hit too well. On top of that, his HP is poor, so it really wouldn't take much to get this guy out of the way.

In summary, both of these pokémon are used by team rocket, and therefore a good indicator that they probably aren't any good to have in your own team. As cool as these pokémon look, the only good stat they have is attack, and that's not enough to keep them going for long.

Spearow and Fearow

#021 Spearow

Spearow:  It flaps its small wings busily to fly. Using its beak, it searches in grass for prey.

Type: Normal/Flying

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
40              60            30

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
70             31            31

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 20

Weaknesses: Electric; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Fighting
(Ground-No Effect; Ghost-No Effect)

If you want a pokémon that hits hard and hits fast, then this little guy is for you. There are a lot of people who don't like Pidgey, and if you are one of them I suggest trying Spearow in your team. Spearow doesn't have the greatest Special Attack, so moves like gust won't do him much good, but when it comes to moves like peck, wing attack, and fly (and others) he's going to hit harder and faster than Pidgey and equally as fast and hard a Pidgeotto. For a first evolution stage, this pokémon's speed and attack are really, really high. The only problem with him is his low defenses, but after you get this pokémon around level 10 he really takes off (pun not intended). Whenever I'm looking for a change from the old "Pidgey" route, I often go with this little trooper. His defenses, again, may be low but I've never really had a problem training him at all because he is much stronger in terms of attack and speed than most pokémon will be at his stage.

#022 Fearow

Fearow: It has the stamina to fly all day on its broad wings. It fights by using its sharp beak.

Type: Normal/Flying

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
65              90            65                

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
100            61            61                  
Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Final Stage

Weaknesses: Electric; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Fighting
(Ground-No Effect; Ghost-No Effect)

Fearow is awesome in terms of speed and attack. Like Spearow, he can hit fast and hard, and it will be hard to match his speed. As you can see though, every single other stat is very low for a final evolution. Every time I raise a Fearow, however I really enjoy it. This pokémon can destroy-if you know how to use it and how to avoid getting hit. I would not recommend this pokémon to a beginning player or to one who is not very experienced. Understanding which moves are special attack moves and which are attack moves makes a huge difference in success with this guy.

In summary, both of these pokémon can hit fast and hard, but make sure you know what you're doing, because if they get hit they won't last long. Great pokémon for seasons trainers.

Rattata and Raticate

#019 Rattata

Rattata: Cautious in the extreme, its hardy vitality lets it live in any kind of environment.

Type: Normal

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
30              56            35

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
72              25            35

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 20

Weaknesses: Fighting

Strengths: None
(Ghost-No Effect)

Oh rattata...how annoying this pokémon is. Rattata is annoying to fight, annoying to see, and annoying to train. They are everywhere in the tall grass and the first 5 or so you see are fun, but after that they just never stop coming. In Rattata's defense, however it does have great speed and attack. Low everything else, but its special attack stat doesn't really matter since every single move is either an attack or stat changing move, so it doesn't really need any special attack anyway. Again, this is another pokémon you don't want to get hit if he's in your team, because his defense is low. That, however, can be a plus when battling one. If you can hit it, its going down. The problem is it does have high attack and speed and will give your team a tough battle. On the reverse side, this pokémon can be nice to have for a little while. I once raised a Rattata/Raticate all the way to the elite four and it got destroyed. Its speed and attack may be high, but they aren't the highest and since defense is so low it will get slaughtered once you start fighting stronger pokémon.

#020 Raticate

Raticate: It whittles its constantly growing fangs by gnawing on hard things. It can chew apart cinder walls.

Type: Normal

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
55              81            60

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
97              50            70

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Final Stage

Weaknesses: Fighting

Strengths: None
(Ghost-No Effect)

Raticate is equally as annoying as Rattata, only now its got better attack and speed and defense is even almost decent. They get a little harder to take down and pop up in grass just as frequently once you get farther into the games. Again, I tried raising this pokémon and it actually did a lot better than I thought it would, however it did end up getting destroyed by higher gym leaders and the elite four. Again, speed and attack are pretty good, but everything else is too low to cover when this guy misses.

In summary: Rattata is annoying, Raticate is annoying. Both are okay for awhile, but no good for extended periods. Watch out for them in the grass, because they can make training difficult.

Pidgey, Pidgeotto and Pidgeot

#016 Pidgey

Pidgey: It is docile and prefers to avoid conflict. If disturbed, however, it can ferociously strike back.

Type: Normal/Flying

Stats:

HP          Attack     Defense

40              45            40

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def

56              35             35

Growth Rate: Medium Slow

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 18

Weaknesses: Electric; Ice; Rock

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Fighting
(Ground-No Effect; Ghost-No Effect)

Pidgey is amazing. Although a lot of people do not like pidgey, I for one find him wonderful and a great flying type, especially if one is just starting out with pokémon. His specials are low, which can be a downside because the first flying move pidgey learns uses special attack (gust), but that doesn't affect how effective the flying move is against opponents too much. His attack, however is much higher so a move like tackle will do a lot more damage unless one is fighting a grass or fighting type. Pidgey can be a little hard to train at first, but once he starts learning some of the better moves you can take down most anything (other than weaknesses of course). I try to broaden my horizons and choose different pokémon each time I play, but somehow this little guy frequently ends up in my permanent team.

#017 Pidgeotto

 Pidgeotto: It flies over its wide territory in search of prey, downing it with its highly developed claws.

Type: Normal/Flying

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
63              60            55            

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
71              50             50          

Growth Rate: Medium Slow

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 36

Weaknesses: Electric; Ice; Rock

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Fighting
(Ground-No Effect; Ghost-No Effect)

Pidgeotto starts getting stronger, and looks way way cooler than Pidgey, but I sure hope your Pidgey learned some decent moves because Pidgeotto's moveset is awful. With the low power Twister (22), fairly useless Featherdance (27), and comepletely useless Agility (32), you won't get very far. Yes, Featherdance can be great for boosting stats during battle, but you risk getting hit and with such low defense, that's not something you'd want to risk. Agility is useless because Pidgeotto's speed is really high, and he's going to strike first anyway, so using a move to boost your speed and miss out on getting a hit in is really pointless and redundant. If you wait one level to evolve him, however, Pidgeotto learns Wing Attack (37) which can be a hard hitter, but if not Pidgeot learns it only one level later at 38.

#018 Pidgeot

Pidgeot: By flapping its wings with all its might, Pidgeot can make a gust of wind capable of bending tall trees.

Type: Normal/Flying

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
83               80           75            

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
91               70            70                


Growth Rate: Medium Slow

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Final Stage

Weaknesses: Electric; Ice; Rock

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Fighting
(Ground-No Effect; Ghost-No Effect)

Pidgeots stats may be a little lower, but don't let that fool you. When it comes to battle, he's got speed and attack, which can take down most foes before they have a chance to strike. I've used him numerous times against the elite four and he's done quite well. I think this guy is a wonderful addition to any team and will get a trainer very far. He learns strong moves and can be taught a number of TM's, and I give this guy two thumbs up.

In summary: Pidgey may be a little difficult to start out with, but once you get him to about level 10 you'll be well on your way to an awesome pokémon. Pidgeotto is fast for a middle evolution, but he learns absolutely no good moves. Pidgeot is strong; don't let the stats fool you. He can take on strong foes and will get you far. He's a great addition to a team.

Weedle, Kakuna and Beedrill

#013 Weedle

Weedle: It eats its weight in leaves every day. It fends off attackers with the needle on its head.

Type: Bug/Poison

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
40               35            30

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
50               20            20

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 7

Weaknesses: Fire; Flying; Psychic; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Dark

Weedle is kind of in the same situation as Caterpie, but personally I would take a Caterpie over a Weedle. Yes, Weedle grows quickly but he is hard to raise because his defense is low (and lower than Caterpie's too). His attack is decent, but his HP isn't high enough to help him out with defending himself and his attacks aren't strong enough to get the job done either unless one is fighting relatively weak pokémon. I personally have never had the patience to train and keep a Weedle long enough to use it/its evolutions against a gym leader because I find that Caterpie-Butterfree more useful.

#014 Kakuna

Kakuna: While awaiting evolution, it hides from predators under leaves and in nooks of branches.

Type: Bug/Poison

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
45               25            50

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
35               25           25

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 10

Weaknesses: Fire; Flying; Psychic; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Dark

Here we have another "awaiting evolution" pokémon. Kakuna is faster and slightly higher in attack than Metapod, but that's about all he's got going for him as far as stats go. Kakuna, and he still doesn't learn any moves other than Harden. Again, Kakuna is difficult to raise if it isn't evolved knowing attack moves and I would still take a Metapod over Kakuna. Kakuna does, however look like he's wearing a tie and that makes him much more adorable than the other bug pokémon.

#015 Beedrill

Beedrill: Its best attack involves flying around at high speed, striking with poison needles, then flying off.

Type: Bug/Poison

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
65               80            40

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
75               45            80

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Final Stage

Weaknesses: Fire; Flying; Psychic; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Bug; Dark

(Yes, I know the 1 is backwards...) According to the description, Beedrill sounds kind of like a pansy, but I don't think that's totally true. As you can see here, his attack and special defense sky rocket from his previous evolutions, which is a huge help. He's pretty quick as well, but if one is hit by a physical attack, he's not likely to last long (like most bug pokémon). He is better than Butterfree stat wise, but as far as moves I don't think he's that great. He learns his last move at level 40, and if you are able to keep him for that long, kudos. I never found Beedrill worth training or using in gyms, I only raise one for my pokédex. He looks super awesome, but again, not my top pick for team pokémon, even temporarily.

In summary, some people find this trio worth the effort, but I find that Weedle is hard to train due to low defense and HP, Kakuna, if evolved knowing moves, will not have as good a moveset as Metapod, and Beedrill looks awesome but isn't worth the time or a spot in the team.

Caterpie, Metapod and Butterfree

#010 Caterpie

Caterpie: It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.

Type: Bug

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
45              30           35

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
45              20            20

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 7

Weaknesses: Fire; Flying; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Psychic; Dark

Caterpie, the first bug pokémon in the 'dex. This little guy grows really quickly, but is really weak. He's cute enough, but that's about all he's got going for him. However, if you are just starting a game or need some filler pokémon, keep him around. His evolutions may be worth training him at least for awhile. This is a pokémon that I train and keep only for a little while/a few gyms, because having that extra pokémon is nice, especially one that is so easy to train and grows quickly, but I would not suggest this as a permanent team member. Great for a temporary one though.

#011 Metapod

Metapod: A steel-hard shell protects its tender body. It quietly endures hardships while awaiting evolution.

Type: Bug

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
50              20           55

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
30              25            25

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Level 10

Weaknesses: Fire; Flying; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Grass; Psychic; Dark

Like the description says, this is a pokémon waiting to evolve. It's not a fighting pokémon and not even a defensive pokémon, even though its defense sky rockets from when it was a Caterpie. Other than that, however, everything pretty well goes down in stats. A lot of people claim this pokémon as worthless, and it very well may be, but again, if you need a filler or are just starting out, I'd say hold on to him. Unless you raised him from a tackle-knowledgeable Caterpie though, he's pretty near impossible to train. The only way to train a "harden-only" Metapod would be to put him in front of your party and then switch him out right at the beginning of battle. Yes, this guy can take a hit. He can take well near 100 hits and is a bugger to kill, but that's about all he can do. For now.

#012 Butterfree

Butterfree: It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.

Type: Bug/Flying

Stats:
HP          Attack     Defense
60             45            50

Speed   Spec Atk   Spec Def
70             80            80

Growth Rate: Medium Fast

Hatch Steps: 4,000

Evolution: Final Stage

Weaknesses: Fire; Flying; Electric; Rock; Ice

Strengths: Fighting; Grass; Bug; Psychic; Dark
(Ground-No Effect)

As you can see, Butterfree's stats are not all that impressive. However, as I've said previously, this is a great filler/temp pokémon. Its great for taking down some beginning of the game gym leaders and trainers along the way. Once pokémon start getting into the high 20's and low 30's though, Butterfree won't last long. Its stats and moves are good, but not good enough to carry it through the game. Unless and a bit unless it is your tactic to poison, paralyze, or put to sleep. Butterfree learns poison powder, stun spore, and sleep powder right away, and you can keep this pokémon in your team merely for that reason, as these conditions affecting foes can be a huge advantage. It would mean a lot of switching out and carefully planning though, as Butterfree can't take on tougher enemies too well.

In summary, Caterpie is worth it to keep for the end result, even if only temporarily. Metapod may grow quickly, but it still will take patience to train him becuase he can't attack unless you evolved him from a tackle Caterpie. Butterfree is definitely worth it in the early stages of a game, but won't be much good past the 3rd gym leader unless you use specific tactics.