Introduction:
The best possible Pokemon for an in-game team are the ones that are obtained at the start of the game, can OHKO enemies easily, take little damage from
everything nearly any enemy, can learn many HMs, can heal itself, can learn useful moves upon level up, doesn't need excessive TMs, and has a useful ability. Such a Pokemon doesn't exist of course, but this means that Pokemon closer to this ideal are obviously the best ones possible.
The goal of this in-game tier list is to recommend a select group of Pokemon for an efficient run through the game. The ones that fit most of the above requirements are
placed in the high tier. Very inefficient Pokemon will be put in the low tier. Things that are neither efficient nor inefficient, for example Pokemon that have some opportunity costs but don't end up as good as high tiered ones, will be put in the middle tier.
Resources are available, but come with the cost of not being able to give it to other Pokemon. Giving Super Potions is fine because you can buy an infinite amount, provided that you have the money of course. However, giving a Pokemon a TM like Psychic in Pokemon FireRed or LeafGreen cannot simply be assumed as there is likely lots of competition for it. The less competition there is for a TM, the more likely it is that the Pokemon in question can get said TM. A buyable TM can always be assumed, of course.
(I really don't understand the purpose of this paragraph. Are you saying that if trying to attempt the most efficient run possible, that resources, such as TMs, should not be used willy-nilly? I honestly don't understand. I think you can just delete this tbh.)
Don't confuse an efficient run with a speed run. Speed runs are often
ones that are segmented and recorded
runs with luck manipulation through resets, and aim for the absolute fastest time recorded, but the real time spent on them is usually much more. Just assume you want to play through in a relatively fast time frame.
Team size is actually by far most efficient if you use only one member, but I'm assuming something more like 3 members
, (comma) as otherwise you get extremely centralized lists with starters and early game Pokemon at the far top with everything else pretty much too inefficient to bother with.
Also note when reading through this guide that some of the moves and abilities listed for a Pokemon may only be obtained by their evolutions.
(You might also want to mention that some of the placements are determined by the power of the evolutions as well. Most people probably wouldn't pick Abra to be a top-tier in-game Pokemon.)
High Tier:
Abra
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Psychic typing is very useful for all the Poison-types that are in the game. High Special Attack and Speed stats net quick and easy KOs. However, needs to be traded to fully evolve
, (comma) which requires two Gameboy Advances/SPs and a link cable or wireless adapter.
Articuno
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has very well-rounded stats and an especially high Special Defense stat. Obtained late in the game but at a high level of 50 which makes up for it.
Bulbasaur
Availability: Beginning
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Learns 3 useful status moves and has a useful Grass-typing in the beginning of the game. However, there are many Poison-types in the game, which both of Bulbasaur's STABs are not very effective against.
Charmander
Availability: Beginning
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Learns useful moves through level up and TM, such as Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Mega Punch, Fly, and Dragon Claw. Learns a vast amount of HMs as well. Has high Special Attack and Speed stats.
Clefairy
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Learns a vast amount of TMs and useful moves upon level up, and is very bulky both physically and specially. Can also be evolved as soon as it is obtained
with a Moon Stone.
Cubone
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Useful Ground
-typing
(remove hyphen) for OHKOing the vast amount of Poison-type Pokemon in the game
, (comma) and has an incredibly high Attack stat once equipped with the Thick Club item, allowing it to OHKO many other Pokemon as well.
Diglett
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Useful Ground
-typing
(remove hyphen) for OHKOing the vast amount of Posion-type Pokemon in the game. Instead of catching Diglett you can also capture his evolution Dugtrio who is available in the same area and time as Diglett and is at a
significantly higher level.
Hitmonlee
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Has a very high Attack stat and learns useful moves upon level up and through TM.
Jynx
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Very high Special Attack and Speed stats, learns Lovely Kiss upon level up, and her Psychic
-typing
(remove hyphen) is very useful for OHKOing the vast amount of Poison-types in the game. Unfortunately, you need to trade a man in Cerulean City a Poliwhirl to receive her, but since she is obtained via trading she gains double experience points
, quickly making up for the extra effort.
Lapras
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Available late in the game and at a much lower level than your party at that point in the game. However, it has above average stats all around, and a very wide movepool consisting of notable attacks
, (comma) such as Surf, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Thunder, and Psychic.
Machop
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Has a very high Attack stat and learns useful moves upon level up and through TM. However, needs to be traded to fully evolve which requires two Gameboy Advances/SPs and a link cable or wireless adapter.
Mankey
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Useful for defeating the Pewter City gym leader Brock if you choose Charmander as your starter. Has high Attack and Speed stats.
Nidoran (M)
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Has well-distributed stats and learns a vast amount of TMs and in-game move tutor moves.
Snorlax
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Has a massive HP stat and a high Attack and Special Defense stat. Learns many useful moves upon level up and through TM, such as Body Slam, Brick Break, Shadow Ball, and Rest.
Staryu (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Very high Speed stat, learns Recover upon level up
, (comma) and learns a vast amount of useful TMs and HMs
, (comma) such as Surf, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Thunderbolt, Thunder, and Psychic.
Squirtle
Availability: Beginning
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Learns 3 HMs
-, (replace hyphen with comma) Rock Smash, Surf, and Strength, and has decent stats all around.
Vaporeon
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a massive HP stat and very high Special Attack and Special Defense stat
s.
Zapdos
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has very well-rounded stats and an especially high Special Attack stat. Although it has a shallow movepool it really only needs Thunderbolt / Thunder and Drill Peck to be of good use. It is obtained late in the game however, but at a high level of 50 which compensates for it.
Middle Tier:
Bellsprout (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Learns 3 useful status moves upon level up.
Doduo
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a very high Attack stat and learns two powerful STAB moves upon level up (Tri Attack and Drill Peck).
Electabuzz (FireRed only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has a wide movepool consisting of Thunderbolt, Thunder, Brick Break, Psychic, and Mega Punch. However, outside of a wide movepool
, (comma) he is outclassed by Zapdos in every way.
Exeggcute
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Learns Sleep Powder upon level up, has a very high Special Attack stat and useful Psychic
-typing
(remove hyphen).
Geodude
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Useful Ground
-typing
(remove hyphen) for handling the vast amount of Poison-types in the game, learns useful moves upon level up including Selfdestruct.
Growlithe (FireRed only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Although its stats are very high all around
, (comma) it has a shallow movepool outside of Fire-type attacks.
Hitmonchan
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Has a high Attack stat and learns useful moves through level up, TMs, HMs, and in-game move tutor moves. However, it is basically
outclasses outclassed by the stronger, faster Hitmonlee.
Jolteon
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Has a very shallow movepool outside of Electric-type attacks. However, it has very high Special Attack and Speed stats and is capable of dealing lots of damage to foes with just Thunderbolt or Thunder.
Magnemite
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Electric-type attacks, however its Steel typing is very useful in-game, and it has a very high Special Attack stat.
Mr. Mime
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Useful Psychic
-typing
(remove hyphen) for all of the Poison-types in the game. Since it is obtained through trading it also gains double experience. However, it has a shallow movepool outside of Psychic-type attacks.
Nidoran (F)
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has well-rounded stats in all areas
and learns a lot of TMs.
Oddish (FireRed only)
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Learns 3 status moves upon level up but is outclassed by Bulbasaur. However, if one does not choose Bulbasaur as the starter then Oddish is a good replacement.
Pikachu
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has an above average Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stat, learns Thunderbolt upon level up at level 26, and learns a vast amount of TMs and in-game move tutor moves such as Brick Break and Mega Punch.
Slowpoke (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Learns a vast amount of useful TMs and HMs including Surf, Psychic, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Flamethrower, and Fire Blast. Also has very high Defense and Special Attack stats; however, it is very slow.
Spearow
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Is outclassed by Doduo statwise but is available much earlier than Doduo.
Tentacool
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has well-rounded stats, but a shallow movepool outside of Water-type attacks.
Voltorb
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Is the fastest Pokemon available in the game and learns Selfdestruct upon level up.
Low Tier:
Caterpie
Availability: Early
Stats: Very poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Has no useful STAB attack and is weak offensively. However
, (comma) has a very accurate Sleep Powder due to its ability Compoundeyes when it evolves into Butterfree.
Drowzee
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Psychic-type attacks.
Flareon
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has good stats
, (comma) but has a very shallow movepool outside of Fire-type attacks.
Grimer
Availability: Late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average stats and has a shallow movepool.
Horsea
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Shallow movepool outside of Water-type attacks and can't be fully evolved until the National Pokedex is acquired.
Jigglypuff
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor offensive stats.
Kangaskhan
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a massive HP stat and a high Attack stat, but is only available late in the game and is very hard to capture.
Koffing
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor offensive stats and is available too late in the game.
Lickitung
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Outclassed by other Normal-types such as Kangaskhan and Snorlax.
Magikarp
Availability: Early
Stats: Very poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Incredibly useless until it evolves into Gyarados. Gyarados isn't very useful either due to it not gaining
a STAB on any of its physical attacks.
Magmar (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Although it has a wide movepool it is available too late in the game.
Meowth
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Poor offensive stats and has a shallow movepool outside of Normal-type attacks. However, it does have a useful ability in Pickup.
Moltres
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Poor
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Fire-type attacks
and is obtained very late in the game.
Paras
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Doesn't have a useful STAB attack, bad typing, and poor stats besides its Attack. However, it does learn a 100% accuracy sleep move in Spore.
Pidgey
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offenses.
Pinsir (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Doesn't learn a useful STAB attack and is very hard to capture.
Poliwag
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Water-type attacks. Has a poor Special Attack stat
, (comma) so Water-type attacks aren't very viable.
Ponyta
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Fire-type attacks.
Psyduck (FireRed only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Doesn't learn any useful moves.
Rattata
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Learns Hyper Fang early. However, later in the game it starts to become less useful.
Rhyhorn
Availability: Late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Evolves at a high level of 42 and has poor Speed and Special Defense stats.
Sandshrew (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Useful Ground
-typing
(remove hyphen) for the vast amount of Poison-types in the game
,; (replace with semi colon) however
, (comma) relies on TMs for its movepool.
Scyther (FireRed only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Average
Movepool: Poor
Additional Comments: Very hard to capture and has no decent STAB attack outside of Aerial Ace. It also can't be fully evolved until the National Pokedex is acquired.
Seel
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Weak offensively and has a shallow movepool outside of Water-type and Ice-type attacks.
Shellder (FireRed only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Water-type and Ice-type attacks.
Tauros
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Available only late in the game and very hard to capture.
Venonat
Availability: Late
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a very shallow movepool and no decent STAB attack.
Vulpix (LeafGreen only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Fire-type attacks.
Bottom Tier:
Aerodactyl
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Although Aerodactyl has very good stats and can be taught many useful TMs
, (comma) it is available too late in the game and at a very low level of 5.
Chansey
Availability: Late
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has terrible offensive stats, incredibly low Defense stat, and is very hard to capture.
Dratini
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available only very late in the game and at
such a a very low level, evolves at a very high level, very weak until it does evolve, and is very hard to capture.
Ekans (FireRed only)
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Shallow movepool and doesn't have a strong
available STAB attack.
Farfetch'd
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Shallow movepool, below average stats, and there are much better Flying-types in the game.
Gastly
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Both its STABs are physical, which is unfortunate since its Attack stat is much lower than its Special Attack stat. It also needs to be traded to fully evolve
, (comma) which requires two Gameboy Advances/SPs and a link cable or wireless adapter.
Goldeen
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Doesn't have a powerful STAB move since Water-type attacks in this generation are special and it has a very poor Special Attack stat.
Kabutops
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available very late in the game and obtained at a low level of 5.
Krabby
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Doesn't have a powerful STAB move since Water-type attacks in this generation are special
, (comma) and it has a very poor Special Attack stat.
Omanyte
Availability: Very late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available very late in the game and obtained at a low level of 5.
Onix
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Very slow, bad typing, shallow movepool, and can't be fully evolved until you acquire the National Pokedex.
Porygon
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Too expensive to obtain (9,999
casinoGame Corner coins for FireRed and 6,500 for LeafGreen). Also, can't be evolved until you acquire the National Pokedex.
Tangela
Availability: Very late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game, is very slow, and has a shallow movepool outside of Grass-type attacks.
Weedle
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Very poor stats and movepool.
Zubat
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Can't be fully evolved until you have acquired the National Pokedex.
Un-Tiered:
Mewtwo- Is only available once you have completely beaten the game.
Ditto- Is only available once you have completely beaten the game.