Starter Comparison
Data version: v0.8.13 baseline, 50 runs (Season 2 mechanics locked by the devs; no balance changes found up to v0.8.18) + v0.8.18 spot checks Conditions: same automation script (kite-circling + survival card priority), fresh accounts, Verdant Woods, Normal difficulty Confidence: ⭐⭐⭐ for the ranking (n=10/8/10); route comparisons n=5/group, weak evidence
Verdict
Squirtle ≈ Bulbasaur > Charmander
| Starter | Valid runs | Avg survival | Avg level | Avg kills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squirtle | 10 | 3.84 min | 11.4 | 327 |
| Bulbasaur | 8 | 3.30 min | 9.5 | 236 |
| Charmander | 10 | 1.80 min | 4.7 | 60 |
All 50 baseline runs ended in zone 1 — zone 1 is genuinely hard even for scripted play.
Why Squirtle wins: passives
| Starter | Starting move | Passive | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squirtle | Water Gun (special 40) | Torrent Shell: always-on +15 armor, +20 shield; +40% damage under 40% HP | Starts with 15 more armor than the others — tankiest in the first 3 minutes of swarming |
| Bulbasaur | Vine Whip (physical 45) | Synthesis: always-on +1.5 regen, +25% healing; grass hits restore 0.4% max HP | Sustain type, but regen can't keep up with late zone 1 damage |
| Charmander | Ember (special 40) | Blaze/Sea of Flames: +40% damage under 40% HP, +10% fire damage | Pure offense, zero defense — died at ~1.8 min on average |
Note on survivorship bias: Charmander's low kills reflect its short life, not weak damage.
Evolution lines (explicit in v0.8.18 game data)
| Starter | Stage 2 | Stage 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Squirtle | Wartortle Lv16 | Blastoise Lv36 |
| Bulbasaur | Ivysaur Lv16 | Venusaur Lv32 |
| Charmander | Charmeleon Lv16 | Charizard Lv36 |
Evolution animation ≈3.6s, invulnerable with an AOE — a free panic button in swarms.
Learnsets (v0.8.18 data)
- Squirtle line: 1 Tackle/Tail Whip → 3 Water Gun → 6 Withdraw → 9 Rapid Spin → 12 Bite → 15 Water Pulse → 18 Protect → 21 Rain Dance → 24 Aqua Tail → 27 Shell Smash → 30 Iron Defense → 33 Hydro Pump → 36 Wave Crash
- Full tables: Bulbasaur | Charmander | Squirtle
Zone-1 key moves: Rapid Spin (Lv9, physical AOE) — the clear-speed turning point in recorded runs; Water Pulse (Lv15) first 60-power special.
Human verification (2026-10-22, BonkKing manual play)
A human player took the "weakest" starter, Charmander, to the project's deepest run ever: ~10.5 min / Lv33 / 4,439 kills, dying only to the zone-1 FINAL SWARM. Replay:
- Two moves maxed (Fire Spin MAX + Flamethrower MAX) + Quick Attack/Ember support — a kill snowball growing 21→1,800 kills/minute
- Deliberately lived under 40% HP for the +40% Blaze damage (only 16% of run time below 40%)
- Takeaway: the passive sets your floor; clear-speed management sets your ceiling. With human play, all three starters can pass Lv20.
Recommendations
- Beginners: Squirtle — the only always-on defensive passive, most forgiving.
- Sustain fans: Bulbasaur, but you need solid kiting.
- Charmander for thrill-seekers: the passive only pays below 40% HP.
- Card picks: moves first (clear speed = XP = level = survival), defense cards second; skip pure-item cards early.
More in the guide library
All PokeBonk guides and data tables — beginner basics, meta progression, builds, world, catching, bosses, economy and the data tables.