PokéBonk starter: Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle?
Pick Bulbasaur for healing, Charmander for low-HP damage, Squirtle for armor. The choice is permanent, so match the passive to how you actually play.
- 1BulbasaurRegeneration and healing. The safest learning pick.
- 2CharmanderMore damage below 40% HP. Riskier by design.
- 3SquirtleArmor and shield from the first second.
The complete starter comparison
| Partner | Role on the card | Passive (exact effect) | Starting attack | Base stats HP / Atk / Def / SpA / SpD / Spe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur Grass / Poison | Healer | Synthesis: +1.5 regen and +25% healing. Grass attacks heal 0.4% of HP per hit, up to 5 times per second. | Vine Whip | 45 / 49 / 49 / 65 / 65 / 45 |
| Charmander Fire | Fiery assault | Sea of Flames: below 40% HP, +40% damage. +10% Fire damage. | Ember | 39 / 52 / 43 / 60 / 50 / 65 |
| Squirtle Water | Defender | Torrent Shell: +15 armor and +20 shield. Below 40% HP, +40% damage. | Water Gun | 44 / 48 / 65 / 50 / 64 / 43 |
Passives and attacks are quoted from the v0.8.89 partner screen on 2–3 November 2026; base stats come from the same build’s League detail panel. No win rate, clear time or “best starter” percentage is printed here, because we have not run a controlled comparison across a full region. Base stats do not include items, vitamins or Lab upgrades.
First four moves by level
The partner card only shows the starting attack. The League detail page shows the next three moves and their unlock levels for each starter. These are the v0.8.89 values; a later beta build can change them.
| Partner | Starter | Lv. 2 | Lv. 4 | Lv. 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Vine Whip | Razor Leaf | Sleep Powder | Solar Beam |
| Charmander | Ember | Fire Spin | Flamethrower | Fire Blast |
| Squirtle | Water Gun | Bubble | Rapid Spin | Hydro Pump |
Coverage differs: Bulbasaur gets a strike, a burst, a cone and a beam; Charmander gets a projectile, a vortex, a cone and an explosive orb; Squirtle gets a projectile, a burst, a spin and a beam. That is coverage on paper, not proof that one kit clears faster.
What each passive actually rewards
Bulbasaur: healing without a condition
Synthesis is the only starter passive that gives regeneration and a healing multiplier without asking you to be near death. The Grass-attack healing is small per hit — 0.4% of max HP — but it can trigger up to five times per second, so multi-hit Grass attacks matter. For a first run, this is the passive that keeps working while you learn to move.
Charmander: a deliberate low-HP gamble
Sea of Flames gives nothing until you drop below 40% HP, then adds 40% damage and 10% Fire damage. That is a real damage window, but it is also a window in which one more hit can end the run. If you dislike playing at low HP, the passive asks you to do exactly that. It is not a free damage bonus.
Squirtle: armor first, damage second
Torrent Shell starts with +15 armor and +20 shield, so it changes the first minute before any level-up. It also has the same below-40% +40% damage clause as Charmander. In the League panel, Squirtle’s base Defense is 65 and Special Defense is 64, the highest defensive spread of the three starters. Its base Speed is 43, the lowest.
Which starter should you pick?
Take Bulbasaur if…
- This is your first survivor game.
- You want a passive that helps before you are losing.
- You prefer healing and sustain to a damage window.
Take Charmander if…
- You are comfortable dodging at low HP.
- You want a clear damage payoff to play around.
- You plan to build Fire moves and damage items.
Take Squirtle if…
- You expect to take hits while learning the map.
- You want the passive to work from the first second.
- You accept lower base Speed in exchange for bulk.
Do not pick by tier label
The starter screen does not show a tier. It shows a role, a passive and a starting attack. The Pokédex lists all 151 Kanto species, including the ones we have not played.
How the choice is locked in
Click a card, then press the large “I choose [name]!” button. A confirmation appears with two sentences: this will be your starting partner and you cannot change it later; the other two join later. Press “Yes, I choose [name]” to continue. Closing the warning with “Choose again” returns you to the cards.
You do not lose the other two forever. The partner screen says they can join later after you complete their challenge and capture them in a run. We have not completed that unlock, so we cannot give a time estimate or a difficulty rating for it.
Questions people also ask
Which PokéBonk starter is best for a beginner?
Bulbasaur is the easiest first pick to explain: its menu passive adds regeneration and healing, so it gives you a recovery tool while you learn movement. That is a role recommendation from the visible kit, not a measured win rate. We have not completed a region with any starter.
Can I change my PokéBonk starter after choosing?
No. The confirmation screen says the choice is permanent and cannot be changed later. The same screen says the other two partners can join later if you complete their challenge and capture them in a run.
Is Charmander better than Squirtle?
They solve different problems. Charmander’s passive is a below-40%-HP damage payoff with extra Fire damage. Squirtle starts with +15 armor and +20 shield, and also gets +40% damage below 40% HP. Choose the condition you can actually play around.
Do starter base stats decide the run?
No. Base stats are only the starting frame. Moves, level-up choices, items, vitamins and your movement matter during a run. We list the base stats for comparison but do not turn them into a win probability.