Despite being succeeded by hundreds upon hundreds of newcomers, the original 151 Pokemon still hold a special place in the hearts of many fans, particularly those who grew up with the classic games and Ash’s adventures in the anime. Although not many of them rank highly as competitive options, these metaphorical legends continue to be adored, and a handful remain relevant thanks to updates released by Game Freak. We all have our favorites, but what are the strongest Pokemon from Gen 1?
Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, Mewtwo, Mew, Dragonite, the Legendary Birds, Gengar, Alakazam, Eevee’s evolutions, Pikachu (not featured in the article’s rankings), and Lapras are about as iconic as Pokemon get, and they all (besides Pikachu) bring something worthwhile to most teams. Let’s go on a trip through memory lane to rank the best 20 Gen 1 Pokemon.
Updated May 26, 2026 by Mark Sammut: I’ve given this article a refresh to improve its readability and presentation, along with adding galleries for each Gen 1 Pokemon.
20
Pidgeot (#0018)
Everybody’s Go-To Flying Pokemon
- Type: Normal/Flying
- Best Moves: Hurricane, Quick Attack, Roost, U-Turn
- Level It Evolves: Level 18 then 36
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Pidgeotto
- Pidgey: Routes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 24, and 25
Flying types are useful in any Pokemon game as they can avoid Ground-type attacks completely, and Pidgeot is one of the best and easiest to get in the original releases. Starting as a humble Pidgey, it blossoms into the majestic Pidgeot at level 36.
10 Best Flying-Type Pokemon
Ranking the best Flying-type Pokemon can be done by gauging their viability in the competitive scene and seeing how they stack up against the best.
Back in Generation 1, Pidgeot was the stellar Flying-type attack user, although there are a lot of those to pick from in Kanto. Pigeot gained additional recognition due to being one of Ash’s Pokemon, and it was famously released into the wild with a promise for a future reunion. However, if fans haven’t kept up with the latest series, then they will not know that two decades later, Ash kept his promise and returned Pidgeot to his team.
Pidgeot’s Base Stats:
|
Normal |
Mega |
|
|
HP: |
83 |
83 |
|
Attack: |
80 |
80 |
|
Defense: |
75 |
80 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
70 |
135 |
|
Sp. Def: |
70 |
80 |
|
Speed: |
101 |
121 |
|
Total: |
479 |
579 |
19
Vaporeon, Jolteon & Flareon (#0134/#0135/#136)
Three Of A Kind
-
Type:
- Vaporeon: Water
- Jolteon: Electric
- Flareon: Fire
-
Best Moves:
- Vaporeon: Surf, Dig, Acid Armor, Last Resort
- Jolteon: Thunderbolt, Dig, Thunder Wave, Last Resort
- Flareon: Flamethrower, Dig, Smog, Last Resort
-
Level It Evolves:
- Vaporeon: Water Stone
- Jolteon: Thunder Stone
- Flareon: Fire Stone
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Eevee
- Eevee: Received from a person in Celadon Mansion (Eevee)
Eevee has the unique ability to evolve into Pokemon of various types, with more introduced in future generations, but back in Pokemon Red & Blue, there were only three: Vaporeon, the Water-type, Jolteon, the Electric-type, and Flareon, the Fire type.
The player only receives one Eevee in the original games, so they must decide which evolution to go with. Each Eeveelution has different stats, moves, and abilities, so trainers need to work out what their team needs and what difficulties lie ahead. Whatever the trainer decides, they receive an amazing Pokemon with 525 base stats to work with.
Base Stats:
|
Vaporeon |
Jolteon |
Flareon |
|
|
HP: |
130 |
65 |
65 |
|
Attack: |
65 |
65 |
130 |
|
Defense: |
60 |
60 |
60 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
110 |
110 |
95 |
|
Sp. Def: |
95 |
95 |
110 |
|
Speed: |
65 |
130 |
65 |
|
Total: |
525 |
525 |
525 |
18
Arcanine (#0059)
Not Charizard Or Moltres, But A Fantastic Gen 1 Fire Pokemon
- Type: Fire
- Best Moves: Flamethrower, Take Down, Extremespeed, Thunder Fang
- Level It Evolves: When exposed to a Fire Stone
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Growlithe
- Growlithe: Route 7, 8 and Pokemon Mansion (Red Only)
A truly iconic Gen 1 Pokemon, Arcanine is a Fire-type and the signature team member of Cinnabar Island Gym Leader Blaine, along with also being used by Pokemon Red & Blue‘s Rival and his anime counterpart, Gary Oak.
Pokemon: The Strongest Non-Legendary Of Each Generation (Based On Stats)
Every generation has its fair share of strong Legendary Pokemon, but these Non-Legendaries really managed to outshine them.
In the games, Arcanine is a beast to use as a fast, mixed attacker. It can decimate opponents with powerful Fire-type moves and strike first when the time is right, with a priority Extremespeed. Only players of Red or FireRed can use Arcanine without training, with those playing Blue or LeafGreen instead having Rapidash, which isn’t as strong.
Arcanine’s Base Stats:
|
HP: |
90 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
110 |
|
Defense: |
80 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
100 |
|
Sp. Def: |
80 |
|
Speed: |
95 |
|
Total: |
555 |
17
Venusaur (#0003)
The Original Grass Pokemon Starter
- Type: Grass/Poison
- Best Moves: Leech Seed, Petal Blizzard, Toxic, Sludge Bomb
- Level It Evolves: Level 16 then 32
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Ivysaur
- Bulbasaur: Given by Professor Oak
The final form of Bulbusaur, the Grass-type starter in Pokemon Red & Blue, Venusaur is a powerful option for any team. With high special attack and defense, it hits hard using Solar Beam, Frenzy Plant, and Petal Blizzard. What Venusaur is good at is its wide variety of status moves that it can learn: Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, Sunny Day, and Synthesis.
As a Grass/Poison type, Venusaur comes with four weaknesses: Fire (2x), Psychic (2x), Flying, and Ice (2x); however, upon Mega Evolving, it gains the ability of Thick Fat, which removes the Fire and Ice weaknesses. Mega Venusaur is a beast with a massive improvement in its stats, the biggest being a big increase in physical defense.
Venusaur’s Base Stats:
|
Normal |
Mega |
|
|
HP: |
80 |
80 |
|
Attack: |
82 |
100 |
|
Defense: |
83 |
123 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
100 |
122 |
|
Sp. Def: |
100 |
120 |
|
Speed: |
80 |
80 |
|
Total: |
525 |
625 |
16
Charizard (#0006)
The Most Popular Original Starter Pokemon
-
Type: Fire/Flying
- Mega Charizard X: Fire/Dragon
- Mega Charizard Y: Fire/Flying
- Best Moves: Flamethrower, Air Slash, Dragon Breath, Will-O-Wisp
- Level It Evolves: Level 16 then 36
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Charmeleon
- Charmander: Given by Professor Oak
A fan-favorite, Charizard tends to garner some criticism for being too favored by Game Freak, but there’s no denying its popularity and longevity. Regardless of everything else, Charizard stands as a fantastic Pokemon and a go-to Fire-type for many in the games.
The Best Pokemon to Use in Gen 8 Playthroughs Explained
Although the Gen 8 games are on the easier side, there are a few challenges in Pokemon Sword and Shield that players will want a powerful team for.
Back in Generation 1, there was only one line of Dragon Pokemon, the Dragonite line, and some fans thought that Charizard should have been a Dragon all along. It clearly looks like one. Fans got this with its Mega Evolution introduced in Pokemon X & Y, with Mega Charizard X.
Charizard’s Base Stats:
|
Normal |
Mega X |
Mega Y |
|
|
HP: |
78 |
78 |
78 |
|
Attack: |
84 |
130 |
104 |
|
Defense: |
78 |
111 |
78 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
109 |
130 |
159 |
|
Sp. Def: |
85 |
85 |
115 |
|
Speed: |
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
Total: |
534 |
634 |
634 |
15
Blastoise (#0009)
The Best Original Starter Pokemon
- Type: Water
- Best Moves: Protect, Rain Dance, Hydro Pump, Flash Cannon
- Level It Evolves: Level 16 then 36
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Wartortle
- Squirtle: Given by Professor Oak
With an epic design and a solid run on the anime, Blastoise is an icon with its two massive water cannons and blow-away special attack stat. Hydro Pump can wash away opponents with ease; it thrives in its defense, making use of that massive shell on its back.
With only two weaknesses to Grass (2x) and Electric (2x), it also resists four types. The Shellfish Pokemon can be handy in battle, and there isn’t a lot that can knock it down. There is a reason why it is one of the most popular Starter Pokemon of all time.
Blastoise’s Base Stats:
|
Normal |
Mega |
|
|
HP: |
79 |
79 |
|
Attack: |
83 |
103 |
|
Defense: |
100 |
120 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
85 |
135 |
|
Sp. Def: |
105 |
115 |
|
Speed: |
78 |
78 |
|
Total: |
530 |
630 |
14
Machamp (#0068)
A Pokemon That Really Packs A Punch
- Type: Fighting
- Best Moves: Cross Chop, Strength, Bulk Up, Substitute
- Level It Evolves: Level 28 then traded
-
Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Machoke
- Machop: Rock Tunnel, Victory Road
Machamp is the original powerful Fighting-type, and, in Generation 1, it was so incredibly useful, along with acting as the signature Pokemon of Elite Four member Bruno. Fighting types had only two weaknesses in Red & Blue and were particularly valuable due to being the only type capable of dealing super effective damage to Normal types.
This four-armed behemoth was a rare Pokemon back in the day, as players needed to trade a Machoke to obtain it. Without the use of cheats back in the ‘90s, pulling off a trade could feel downright impossible unless you had a sibling with their own Game Boy.
Machamp’s Base Stats:
|
HP: |
90 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
130 |
|
Defense: |
80 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
65 |
|
Sp. Def: |
85 |
|
Speed: |
55 |
|
Total: |
505 |
13
Chansey (#0113)
The Ultimate Pokemon Wall
- Type: Normal
- Best Moves: Softboiled, Take Down, Sing, Light Screen
- Level It Evolves: N/A (in Generation 1)
- Location In Red & Blue: Safari Zone, Cerulean Cave
These adorable pink blobs with egg pouches are friends to many due to their caring nature. However, when it comes to defending their companions or themselves, these rare creatures can be quite troublesome to deal with. A veritable wall of health points, almost possessing the highest-HP stat of any Pokemon in the entire series, it takes a lot to put down a Chansey.
That is, if one is attacking with Special attacks. Though much like an egg, Chansey does not have very high Physical Defense. In fact, in this regard, it has one of the lowest in the series, which offsets its huge pool of health.
Chansey’s Base Stats:
|
HP: |
250 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
5 |
|
Defense: |
5 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
35 |
|
Sp. Def: |
105 |
|
Speed: |
50 |
|
Total: |
450 |
12
Articuno, Zapdos & Moltres (#0144,#01445,#0146)
The Legendary Birds Are Still, Well, Legends
-
Type:
- Articuno: Ice/Flying
- Zapdos: Electric/Flying
- Moltres: Fire/Flying
-
Best Moves:
- Articuno: Ice Beam, Hurricane, Roost, Reflect
- Zapdos: Thunder Wave, Roost, Rain Dance, Thunder
- Moltres: Sunny Day, Hurricane, Roost, Flamethrower
- Level It Evolves: N/A
-
Location In Red & Blue:
- Articuno: Seafoam Islands (Only One)
- Zapdos: Power Plant (Only One)
- Moltres: Victory Road (Only One)
Although they aren’t nearly as high on the totem pole in the present generation, there was a time when Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres were considered among the best possible Pokemon for players to catch. During their stint in the original 151, they had a base stat total of 485 (Articuno), 490 (Zapdos), and 495 (Moltres), respectively. They were hard-hitting and some of the best Pokemon available for their elements.
Ash’s 10 Most Overpowered Pokémon, Ranked
Ash had many powerful teammates during his time as the protagonist, but only a few demonstrated truly broken abilities.
Fast-forward to the modern age, and the trio has been given a buff to their stats, with each bird now sporting a 580 base stat total. They even received their own Galarian regional forms.
The Legendary Bird Trio’s Base Stats:
|
Articuno |
Zapdos |
Moltres |
|
|
HP: |
90 |
90 |
90 |
|
Attack: |
90 |
90 |
100 |
|
Defense: |
100 |
85 |
90 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
95 |
125 |
125 |
|
Sp. Def: |
125 |
90 |
85 |
|
Speed: |
85 |
100 |
90 |
|
Total: |
580 |
580 |
580 |
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
11
Exeggutor (#0103)
Three Heads Are Better Than One
- Type: Grass/Psychic
- Best Moves: Leech Seed, Psychic, Leaf Storm, Reflect
- Level It Evolves: When exposed to a Leaf Stone
- Location In Red & Blue: Evolve from Exeggcute
Some players who first loaded up Red, Blue, or Yellow back in the late 90s likely passed on Exeggutor thanks to its strange appearance. Exeggcute wasn’t the strongest Pokemon in the bunch, and there were many other pocket monsters found throughout the adventure that some players likely gravitated towards due to their cool appearance or powerful moves. But Exeggutor was a lot better than some players would give it credit for, boasting a large base stat total (455) and some powerful moves thanks to its unique typing.
Although Exeggutor would suffer heavily against Ice-based attacks, it was still more than capable of taking down a wide array of strong Pokemon.
Exeggutor’s Base Stats:
|
HP: |
95 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
95 |
|
Defense: |
85 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
125 |
|
Sp. Def: |
75 |
|
Speed: |
55 |
|
Total: |
530 |
