First partner Pokémon

A first partner Pokémon, also referred to informally as a starter Pokémon, is the first Pokémon that a Trainer owns at the start of their Pokémon journey. This primarily refers to Grass-, Fire-, or Water-type Pokémon given to players by a Pokémon Professor or other mentor at the beginning of the core series Pokémon games, as well as Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow and Pikachu or Eevee in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. However, the term can sometimes be used to refer to any Pokémon that was the first one owned by a Trainer.

Red picking his first partner Pokémon

In the games, the player's first partner will be used to battle the first wild Pokémon they encounter. Once another Pokémon is caught, their first partner may be retired, but it is often with this Pokémon that Trainers learn friendship and trust. As such, even advanced Trainers may still use their first partner Pokémon, and they will often be the most powerful Pokémon on their respective teams.

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.

Terminology

Promotional image for The Indigo Disk using the term "first partner Pokémon"

Main article: Terminology of first partner Pokémon

Since Generation VI, "first partner Pokémon", sometimes shortened to "first partner", has become the primary term used to describe these Pokémon across official media. Occasionally, other Pokémon have been referred to as first partner Pokémon, such as Poipole in Pokémon Ultra Sun and various Pokémon in Pokémon Masters EX. Krysta Yang, a former public relations manager at Nintendo of America, has claimed that the phrase "partner Pokémon" is preferred in official communication due to "starter Pokémon" implying that the player will "be rid of them" later in the game.

Historically, these Pokémon were known as "starter Pokémon", or "starters", though the term was rarely used in the games and only used occasionally during the second through fourth series of Pokémon the Series. From Pokémon the Series: XY onward, "starter Pokémon" is no longer used in the animated series. Tom Wayland, then-voice director of the English dub, stated at PokéCon 2015 that "starter Pokémon" is "an unofficial term now". In 2019, Sonja Hammes, then a social media associate at TPCi, stated that official social media accounts were authorized to use "starter Pokémon" with specific formatting restrictions.

In Japanese, no consistent term is used to refer to first partner Pokémon. The most common term is 「パートナー」 (partner), but occasionally 相棒 (partner) is also used. These terms, along with ポケモン (Pokémon), are typically paired with 最初の or 初めての (both meaning first). Phrases like 最初に選んだ or はじめに選んだ (both meaning that was chosen first) are also used. Among Japanese fans, 御三家 (the big three) is commonly used to refer to the Grass, Fire, and Water trios.

Grass, Fire, and Water trios

Most marketing refers exclusively to the standard trios of Grass-, Fire-, and Water-type Pokémon that can be chosen at the start of most core series games.

The Grass, Fire, and Water types handily illustrate the type effectiveness mechanics of Pokémon battles: Fire "beats" Grass (a Fire-type move deals double damage when attacking a Grass-type Pokémon, but a Fire-type Pokémon takes half damage from a Grass-type move), Water beats Fire, and Grass beats Water. This "rock, paper, scissors" relationship was illustrated in the instruction booklet of the original games.

The 27 Grass-, Fire-, and Water-type first partner Pokémon are listed below. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the Hisui first partner Pokémon consist of a mix of Pokémon from previous regions: Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott.

Kanto first partner Pokémon

Bulbasaur

GrassPoison

Charmander

Fire

Squirtle

Water

Johto first partner Pokémon

Chikorita

Grass

Cyndaquil

Fire

Totodile

Water

Hoenn first partner Pokémon

Treecko

Grass

Torchic

Fire

Mudkip

Water

Sinnoh first partner Pokémon

Turtwig

Grass

Chimchar

Fire

Piplup

Water

Unova first partner Pokémon

Snivy

Grass

Tepig

Fire

Oshawott

Water

Kalos first partner Pokémon

Chespin

Grass

Fennekin

Fire

Froakie

Water

Alola first partner Pokémon

Rowlet

GrassFlying

Litten

Fire

Popplio

Water

Galar first partner Pokémon

Grookey

Grass

Scorbunny

Fire

Sobble

Water

Paldea first partner Pokémon

Sprigatito

Grass

Fuecoco

Fire

Quaxly

Water

The Kalos first partners also have a more broadly defined triangle in the secondary types of their final evolutions. They all still deal 2× damage offensively, and most still receive ½× damage defensively, but while Dark does not technically resist Psychic, it is still defensively advantaged since it is immune.

Other first partners

Aside from the regional trios, a few other Pokémon have been explicitly referred to as first partner Pokémon.

For a list of other Pokémon who are Trainers' first Pokémon, see list of characters' first Pokémon.

Player's first Pokémon

Pikachu and Eevee are given out as first partner Pokémon in Kanto by Professor Oak in some media. Pikachu is the first Pokémon given to the player in Pokémon Yellow, while Blue gets an Eevee. The partner Pikachu and Eevee are the first Pokémon caught by the player in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, respectively, while Oak gives Trace a standard Eevee in Let's Go, Pikachu! and a standard Pikachu in Let's Go, Eevee!

These Pokémon are never referred to as first partner Pokémon in-game; they are typically referred to as partner Pokémon instead. However, in one instance on the official website for the games, and on the Pokémon.com page for the games, they are referred to as first partner Pokémon.

Pikachu

Electric

Eevee

Normal

Other references

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 homeworld, Ultra Megalopolis.

Alolan Meowth

Dark

Poipole

Poison

In the games

The Sinnoh first partner trio wallpaper in Pokémon HOME

Core series

In the core series games, a rival character often picks the Pokémon that is strong against the one the player chose, nominally setting them up for challenging battles going forward.

The Pokémon in the regional first partner trios have several common characteristics, both among each other and between generations. The most obvious commonality is their reliable typing. They all have an Ability that boosts their main type when their HP becomes low: the Grass types have Overgrow, Fire types have Blaze, and Water types have Torrent. They also all have a gender ratio of seven males to one female, generally making breeding them slightly inconvenient. When obtained at the start of a game, they are always level 5 and they start out knowing a Normal-type physical move (Pound, Scratch, or Tackle) and a stat-altering status move (Growl, Leer, or Tail Whip); since Generation VI (with the exception of Generation VIII), they also have an attacking move that matches their main type.

The table below shows the Pokémon that are selectable at the start of each core series game, and which other games they can also be obtained in. A notation of G, F, or W above the game's title indicates that only the first partner Pokémon in the trio that corresponds to that type is obtainable in that game. For availability in games outside of the core series, refer to the "Game locations" heading of the Pokémon's respective page for its species.

Game(s)	First partners	Also obtainable in
RGB/RB, FRLG		Y, HGSS, XY, USUM, PE, SwShF (IA)GW, BDSP, SV (ID)
Y		Regular Pikachu are obtainable in all games except Y, BW, and B2W2.
GSC, HGSS		E, ORAS, SM, BDSP, SV (ID)
RSE, ORAS		HGSS, USUM, SwSh (IA), BDSP, SV (ID)
DPPt, BDSP		ORAS, USUM, BDSP, LA, SV (TM, ID)
BW, B2W2		ORAS, SM, SV (ID)
XY		USUM, SV (ID)
SMUSUM		SwSh (IA), SV (ID)
P		None
E		None
SwSh		SV (ID)
LA		SM, USUM, SwSh (IA), SV (ID)
		E, ORAS, SM, BDSP, SV (ID)
		ORAS, SM, SV (ID)
SV		None

Other games

Main article: List of the player's first Pokémon

Other games may use one of the classic first partner Pokémon, with Pikachu being fairly common; but many games give the player other Pokémon as their first Pokémon.

In animation

For a list of other Pokémon who are Trainers' first Pokémon, see list of characters' first Pokémon.

For a list of characters who own first partner Pokémon, see List of characters with first partner Pokémon.

Pokémon the Series

In Pokémon the Series, upon their tenth birthday, youths can register for a Pokédex and pick up a first partner Pokémon from the local Pokémon Professor or Pokémon Center free of charge. First partner Pokémon are usually raised specifically to be easy to train.

Like in the games, the specific first partner Pokémon available vary from region to region but are the same in each region as the games. That is, Kanto Trainers can only choose Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle; Johto Trainers can only choose Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile; and so on.

In A Mudkip Mission, it was shown where first partner Pokémon come from. Each region has special, secret breeding grounds run by a Pokémon Breeder for first partner Pokémon. The Pokémon League sends these Breeders the Pokémon Eggs for them to hatch at the breeding grounds. The breeders then hatch, care for, and raise the young Pokémon until they are ready to be proper first partner Pokémon for new Trainers. As these young ones are virtually defenseless, the locations of breeding grounds (or even the knowledge of their existence) is a secret unknown to most in the Pokémon world. This is likely to guard against unscrupulous individuals or groups (such as Team Rocket) from poaching the young Pokémon.

However, not all first partner Pokémon are raised at these special breeding grounds, with Professor Birch said to catch and raise his own first partner Pokémon for Trainers.

Other rookie Trainers may receive their first Pokémon from a friend or relative instead. Others, on the other hand, may befriend a Pokémon in the wild. These mean that Trainers can, in fact, start with any Pokémon.

Gallery

• 

  The Kanto first partner Pokémon in Professor Cerise's laboratory

• 

  The Johto first partner Pokémon owned by Ash

• 

  The Hoenn first partner Pokémon, owned by Brock, Ash, and May

• 

  The Sinnoh first partner Pokémon in Professor Rowan's laboratory

• 

  The Unova region first partner Pokémon in Professor Juniper's laboratory

• 

  The Kalos region first partner Pokémon in Professor Sycamore's laboratory

• 

  The Alola first partner Pokémon, owned by Ash and Lana

• 

  The Galar region first partner Pokémon

• 

  The Hisui region first partner Pokémon

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

The Paldea first partner Pokémon with Roy, Liko, and Dot in Pokémon Horizons: The Series

In Pokémon Horizons: The Series, new students that enroll at Indigo Academy in the Kanto region can receive one of the first partner Pokémon from every region.

Gallery

• 

  The Paldea first partner Pokémon, owned by Liko, Dot, and Roy

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 Animated Trailer

Rosa and Serperior in the Black 2 and White 2 Animated Trailer

Brendan and May and their first partner Pokémon in the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer

The Black 2 and White 2 Animated Trailer's extended cut features all three of Unova's first partner Pokémon: Nate is shown with an Emboar, Hugh is seen with a Samurott (having picked the opposing type, like most rivals do in the games), and Rosa uses a Serperior to battle Cheren's Stoutland.

Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer

The Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer also features all three of Hoenn's first partner Pokémon, in all forms including their Mega Evolutions. Brendan is shown to have picked a Treecko, while May has both a Torchic and Mudkip.

In the manga

For a list of other Pokémon who are Trainers' first Pokémon, see list of characters' first Pokémon.

For a list of characters who own first partner Pokémon, see List of characters with first partner Pokémon.

Pokémon Adventures

In Pokémon Adventures, the first partner Pokémon featured in the games are reserved for the few people who hold a Pokédex. Professor Oak produces three Pokédexes for each region, and gives out the three first partner Pokémon in each region along with the Pokédex to Trainers he thinks are talented. He has colleagues and friends like Professor Birch do this for him in regions in which he isn't present. In the Unova region, two sets of first partner Pokémon are given out to six Trainers, but still with only three Pokédexes. Professor Oak also gave Red's Pikachu as a special first partner to Yellow.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, Professor Oak is depicted offering one of three first partner Pokémon—Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle—to Pokémon Trainers as they begin their journeys, much like in other media. Green chooses Charmander as his first Pokémon, and while Red was offered the choice as well, he decided to keep a Clefairy that he met on his way to Professor Oak's lab as his first Pokémon instead.

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, unlike the animated series from which the manga was based on, new Pokémon Trainers do not appear to be given any sort of first partner Pokémon. Professor Oak is not shown residing at his laboratory handing out first partner Pokémon to new Trainers, as in the animated series, rather, he travels the Kanto region conducting research, often accompanied by Bill. Trainers in The Electric Tale of Pikachu must obtain a license before they can purchase Poké Balls or otherwise capture and train Pokémon. Ash found Pikachu under the floorboards of his home, keeping it as his first Pokémon. It is not currently known what Gary Oak's first Pokémon was in the manga, although he is at one point seen owning a Venusaur.

Pokémon Zensho

In Pokémon Zensho, much like in the Pokémon Red and Green games on which the manga was based, Professor Oak offers Satoshi and Shigeru their choice of one out of three first partner Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Satoshi chooses Charmander, while Shigeru chooses Squirtle, leaving Bulbasaur with Professor Oak.

Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys

In Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys, much like Pokémon Gold and Silver, Gold is offered the choice of one of the three Johto first partner Pokémon—Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile—to borrow so that he may run an errand for Professor Elm. Gold chooses Totodile, who Elm allows him to keep after the errand is completed. Also, like in the games, Black (who is based on Silver) steals a Chikorita from Elm's lab while Gold is away on his errand.

Trivia

• The only two first partner Pokémon that are dual-type in their initial form, Bulbasaur and Rowlet, are both Grass-type.
• Each one of the Alola first partners' final evolutions has an immunity. Decidueye's Ghost type is immune to Normal and Fighting; Incineroar's Dark type is immune to Psychic; and Primarina's Fairy type is immune to Dragon.
  • Coincidentally, this also gives them advantages against Necrozma's Ultra form: Decidueye and Incineroar are super effective against Ultra Necrozma's Psychic typing, while Primarina is strong against Ultra Necrozma's Dragon typing.
• As of Generation IX, the only sets of first partners without secondary types in any of their final evolutions are the Johto first partners and the Galar first partners.
  • If regional forms are included, the Galar first partners are the only set in which all of the final evolutions have only one type.
  • By contrast, the first partners of Sinnoh (including Hisui), Kalos, Alola, and Paldea all have a secondary type present in their final evolutions.
• Both Kanto and Hoenn first partners are the only set of first partners capable of Mega Evolution.
  • Additionally, both Kanto and Galar first partners are the only set of first partners capable of Gigantamaxing.
    • This makes the Kanto first partners the only set of first partners that can both Mega Evolve and Gigantamax.
• In Generation II, it was not possible to have a Shiny female first partner Pokémon, due to the mechanics of how gender and Shininess were determined. The lowest Attack IV a Shiny Pokémon could have was 2, while the highest Attack IV that a female Pokémon in their gender group could have was 1.
• Kanto's first partner Pokémon are the only partner Pokémon where all of the members appear in more than one regional Pokédex: Kanto's, Johto's, and Kalos's.
  • The Charmander line also appears alone in the Galar regional Pokédex, while the Bulbasaur and Squirtle lines appear in the Isle of Armor regional Pokédex.
• Fennekin is the only unevolved first partner Pokémon with a unique base stat total.
• The lowest base stat of a non-Mega Evolved fully evolved first partner Pokémon is Torterra's Speed, at 56. The highest base stat of a non-Mega Evolved fully evolved first partner Pokémon is Primarina's Special Attack, at 126.
• The Pikachu featured in Pokémon Yellow & Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and the Eevee in Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! are the only first partner Pokémon that cannot evolve in the game in which they are first partner Pokémon.
  • Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!'s respective first partners are also the only ones that cannot be traded to other games.
• Charmander is the only Fire-type first partner Pokémon that is not a member of the Field Egg Group.
• Oshawott is the only Water-type first partner Pokémon that is not a member of the Water 1 Egg Group.
• With the exception of Hisuian Decidueye having a higher base stat total than Hisuian Samurott, no fully evolved Grass-type first partner Pokémon has a higher base stat total than either of its two counterparts.
  • By contrast, with the exception of Blaziken having a lower base stat total than Swampert, no fully evolved Fire-type first partner Pokémon has a lower base stat total than either of its two counterparts.
  • Contrarily, no unevolved Grass-type first partner Pokémon besides Chespin has a lower base stat total than either of its two counterparts.
  • Similarly, no unevolved Fire-type first partner has a higher base stat total than either its counterparts and no fully evolved Fire-type first partner besides Blaziken has a lower one.
• As of Generation IX, all fully evolved Water-type first partners can learn the HM move Surf.
• In DP001 of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Encyclopedia is about the first partner Pokémon of Sinnoh. He writes this senryū about them: 「シンオウで　たびがはじまる　ポケモンと」 "In Sinnoh, a journey begins with Pokémon."
• In BW003 of Pokémon the Series: Black & White, Professor Oak's Pokémon Holo Caster is about the first partner Pokémon of Unova. He writes this senryū about them: 「パートナー　みず・くさ・ほのお　まよっちゃう」 "Partner, Water, Grass, Fire, I can't decide."
• Like the Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow, in Pokémon Adventures Red's Pikachu, Pika, and Yellow's Pikachu, Chuchu, never evolved.

In other languages

First partner Pokémon

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 搭檔寶可夢 Daapdong Bóuhómuhng * 最初的夥伴 Jeuichō dīk fóbuhn * Mandarin 搭檔寶可夢 / 搭档宝可梦 Dādàng Bǎokěmèng * 最初的夥伴 / 最初的伙伴 Zuìchū de huǒbàn * Danish første Pokémon-partner (JN001) første Pokémon-makker (JN049–) Finnish Ensikumppani-Pokémon French Pokémon de départ* Premier Pokémon* Premier partenaire* German Erstes Partner-Pokémon Italian Primo compagno d'avventura* Pokémon iniziale* Korean 파트너 포켓몬 Partner Pokémon * 첫 파트너 Cheot partner* Spanish Pokémon inicial* Primer compañero*

Starter Pokémon

Language Title Czech Startovní Pokémon Danish Begynder-Pokémon Dutch Starter Pokémon Finnish Aloitus-Pokémon French Pokémon de départ German Starter-Pokémon Hungarian Kezdő Pokémon Italian Pokémon iniziale Norwegian Førstegangs-Pokémon Polish Pokémon Starter Portuguese Brazil Pokémon inicial Pokémon iniciante (BW116) Portugal Pokémon inicial Russian Стартовый покемон Startovy Pokémon Spanish Pokémon inicial Swedish Nybörjar-Pokémon Thai โปเกมอนเริ่มต้น Pokémon Roemton Turkish Başlangıç Pokémon'u Vietnamese Pokémon khởi đầu Pokémon khởi hành

Related articles

• List of characters with first partner Pokémon
• List of the player's first Pokémon
• List of characters' first Pokémon
• Game mascot

First partner trios

Kanto

Bulbasaur

Charmander

Squirtle

Johto

Chikorita

Cyndaquil

Totodile

Hoenn

Treecko

Torchic

Mudkip

Sinnoh

Turtwig

Chimchar

Piplup

Unova

Snivy

Tepig

Oshawott

Kalos

Chespin

Fennekin

Froakie

Alola

Rowlet

Litten

Popplio

Galar

Grookey

Scorbunny

Sobble

Paldea

Sprigatito

Fuecoco

Quaxly

See also: List of the player's first Pokémon • Pikachu (Yellow) • Partner Pokémon (LGPE) • Hisui first partner Pokémon