Unova first partner Pokémon

The Unova first partner Pokémon are the trio of PokémonSnivy, Tepig, and Oshawott[1]—chosen by Trainers at the start of their journey in Unova. These are traditionally given out by Professor Juniper or Assistant Pokémon Professor Bianca and are to be used to battle the first wild Pokémon that the Trainer encounters.

The Unova first partner Pokémon in Pokémon the Series

In official contexts, the group is referred to descriptively in several ways, including "Unova's first partner Pokémon"[2], "first partner Pokémon of the Unova region"[1], and more.

In the Unova-based core series games, the player can choose a Fire-, Water-, or Grass-type first partner Pokémon at level 5.

List of Unova first partner Pokémon and their Evolutions

Forms

Samurott has a Hisuian form. For details on Hisuian Samurott as a first partner Pokémon, see Hisui first partner Pokémon.

In the core series games

Availability

As first partner

Game(s) First partner Location/Acquisition Other effects
BW Snivy Nuvema Town: player's bedroom at start of game Cheren chooses: Tepig
Bianca chooses: Oshawott
A girl at the Dreamyard will gift: Panpour
At Striaton Gym, the player faces: Chili and Pansear
Tepig Cheren chooses: Oshawott
Bianca chooses: Snivy
A girl at the Dreamyard will gift: Pansage
At Striaton Gym, the player faces: Cress and Panpour
Oshawott Cheren chooses: Snivy
Bianca chooses: Tepig
A girl at the Dreamyard will gift: Pansear
At Striaton Gym, the player faces: Cilan and Pansage
B2W2 Snivy Aspertia City: from Bianca Hugh has: Tepig
Nate/Rosa eventually has: Dewott
Tepig Hugh has: Oshawott
Nate/Rosa eventually has: Servine
Oshawott Hugh has: Snivy
Nate/Rosa eventually has: Pignite

Other methods

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Oshawott is one of the Hisui first partner Pokémon.

In The Indigo Disk DLC, the Unova first partners can be caught in the wild at the Terarium. They are unlocked after upgrading the biomes through the League Club Room.

Game(s) Pokémon Location/Acquisition
ORAS Snivy Tepig Oshawott Route 101: from Professor Birch, after the Delta Episode is completed (choose one)
SM Serperior Emboar Samurott Poni Island: Island Scan
SV (ID) Snivy Terarium: Savanna Biome
Tepig Terarium: Canyon Biome
Oshawott Terarium: Polar Biome

Base stat comparison

Pokémon HP Attack Defense Sp. Attack Sp. Defense Speed Total
Snivy
45
45
55
45
55
63
308
Servine
60
60
75
60
75
83
413
Serperior
75
75
95
75
95
113
528
Tepig
65
63
45
45
45
45
308
Pignite
90
93
55
70
55
55
418
Emboar
110
123
65
100
65
65
528
Oshawott
55
55
45
63
45
45
308
Dewott
75
75
60
83
60
60
413
Samurott
95
100
85
108
70
70
528
Hisuian Samurott
90
108
80
100
65
85
528

In the spin-off games

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, all three Unova first partner Pokémon can be caught and encountered along with their Evolutions.

Pokémon Masters EX

In Pokémon Masters EX, Rosa joins the player by clearing Chapter 1 of the PML Arc.

Several other characters also form sync pairs with the Unova first partner Pokémon or their evolutions. These sync pairs can be obtained through various sync pair scouts.

Dex Trainer NDex Pokémon Type Weakness Role EX role Base potential Availability
#039 VSRosa Masters.png Rosa #0497 MastersIcon0497.png Snivy → Servine → Serperior
Grass
GrassIC Masters.png
Flying
FlyingIC Masters.png
Masters Support.png ★★★★★☆EX Story
Chapter 01
#067 VSHilbert Masters.png Hilbert #0503 MastersIcon0503.png Oshawott → Dewott → Samurott
Water
WaterIC Masters.png
Electric
ElectricIC Masters.png
Masters Support.png ★★★★★☆EX Sync Pair Scout
#068 VSHilda Masters.png Hilda #0500 MastersIcon0500.png Tepig → Pignite → Emboar
Fire
FireIC Masters.png
Water
WaterIC Masters.png
Masters Physical Strike.png ★★★★★☆EX Sync Pair Scout
#039 VSRosa Masters.png Rosa #0502 MastersIcon0502.png Dewott
Water
WaterIC Masters.png
Electric
ElectricIC Masters.png
Masters Tech.png ★★★★☆☆EX Trainer Lodge Friendship Level 100

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity and Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, the Unova first partner Pokémon can be selected as the hero and their partner. The trio's evolved forms can also be recruited in the games out of the main character roles.

Pokémon Rumble series

In the Pokémon Rumble series, all three Unova first partner Pokémon can be caught and encountered along with their Evolutions.

Pokémon Shuffle

In Pokémon Shuffle, all three Unova first partner Pokémon can be caught and encountered along with their Evolutions.

Dex# NDex Icon Pokémon Type Attack Power Max
Raise Max Level RML
Initial
Skill
Skill Swapper.png Alternate
Skill(s)
Amelia icon.png Amelia
icons
Lv 1 Max
#258 #0495 Shuffle495.png Snivy Grass 50 120 15 Absorb N/A 1
#258 #0495 Shuffle495Winking.png Snivy
Winking
Grass 50 100 5 Flash Mob Hammering Streak 1
#259 #0496 Shuffle496.png Servine Grass 60 105 5 Counterattack+ N/A 2
#260 #0497 Shuffle497.png Serperior Grass 70 130 15 Relentless N/A 1
#261 #0498 Shuffle498.png Tepig Fire 50 120 15 Rock Break Daunt 0
#261 #0498 Shuffle498Winking.png Tepig
Winking
Fire 50 100 5 Flash Mob Hammering Streak 1
#262 #0499 Shuffle499.png Pignite Fire 60 105 5 Heavy Hitter N/A 0
#263 #0500 Shuffle500.png Emboar Fire 70 110 5 Barrier Bash Risk-Taker 1
#264 #0501 Shuffle501.png Oshawott Water 50 120 15 Whirlpool Final Effort 1
#264 #0501 Shuffle501Winking.png Oshawott
Winking
Water 50 100 5 Flash Mob Hammering Streak 1
#265 #0502 Shuffle502.png Dewott Water 60 105 5 Shock Attack N/A 2
#266 #0503 Shuffle503.png Samurott Water 70 130 15 Quake N/A 1

PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond

In PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond, all three Unova first partner Pokémon are playable alongside Pikachu.

In animation

Pokémon the Series

In Pokémon the Series: Black & White, Professor Juniper is in charge of distributing the Unova first partner Pokémon to new Trainers. The first Pokémon she is seen giving to a new Trainer is Snivy who she gives to Ash's rival for the series Trip. The Oshawott that was under her care at the time took an interest in Ash and followed him from the laboratory on the start of his journey through Unova, thinking it was a Wild, Ash tried to capture it and it failed as it was already owned by Professor Juniper. After getting her permission she allowed Ash to become Oshawott's new Trainer. Further on in the series it was revealed that Bianca had taken Pignite as her first partner, and as Ash was concluding his journey through Unova, Professor Juniper gave another Tepig to a trainer named Nanette.

In the manga

The Unova first partner Pokémon in Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures

In Pokémon Adventures, there are two sets of Unova first partner Pokémon featured. The first set was distributed by Professor Juniper, who sent their Poké Balls to Black. He selected Tepig and his friends Bianca and Cheren selected Oshawott and Snivy, respectively. Professor Juniper's father, Cedric Juniper, also hands out partner Pokémon to new Trainer, but prior to the story, N broke into the lab and released them from their Poké Balls, intending to liberate them. This plan only partially worked, though, as Oshawott chose to stay with the Professor, Snivy stayed with N, and Tepig ran away, eventually ending up with White.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, Professor Juniper appears to hand out the Unova first partner Pokémon. Black, Cheren and Bianca show up to select their new partners, however their choices aren't shown.

Trivia

  • Serperior, Emboar, Samurott (along with its Hisuian form) are the only Pokémon with a base stat total of 528.
  • The Oshawott line has unique distinctions:
    • Oshawott has the lowest base stat total of all Water-type first partner Pokémon.
    • Oshawott's evolutionary line is the only Water-type first partner Pokémon evolutionary line that is not included in the Water 1 Egg Group.
    • Oshawott is the only first partner Pokémon in Legends: Arceus to not have its evolution levels changed.
    • Oshawott and its evolutions are the only Pokémon in Legends: Arceus to have not been available in previous Generation VIII games before.
  • Samurott is the only fully evolved Unova first partner Pokémon to have a regional form.
  • Ken Sugimori described the Unova first partner Pokémon as fulfilling different roles in their personalities, characterizing Tepig as funny, Snivy as cool, and Oshawott as serious.[3]
  • The Snivy line has unique distinctions:
  • Snivy is the only Grass-type first partner Pokémon that is not listed as the first Pokémon in its regional Pokédex.
    • It is also the only Grass-type first partner Pokémon that is not the first Pokémon of its generation in National Pokédex order.
    • Snivy has the lowest base stat total of all Grass-type first partner Pokémon.

References

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