It’s been two decades since the release of Pokemon Emerald. But, can you tell which is the best starter pokemon for any player just starting his journey? Well, No worries! Today, we will tell you which is the best starter Pokemon in Pokemon Emerald.

Furthermore, we will not just tell the facts you already know but prove it to you with the math of how it works. 

At the start of the game, you get to choose between three different options. Like all Pokemon games, it’s a Grass-type, Water-type and Fire-type Pokemon. If you are in the Hoenn region, then your options will be Mudkip, Treecko and Torchic. Choosing between these three Pokemon is like choosing between rock-paper-scissors.

Each Pokemon has an advantage against one and a disadvantage against another. Fire type is advantageous when facing against grass type, water type is advantageous against fire type, and grass type has an advantage against water type. 

So, overall, they appear to be equal, and your chances of winning are only dependent on who your opponent is. However, there are a few other things except the type, which also affects the outcome of battle. So, Let’s look at them one by one. 

Overview

Mudkip

Mudkip is our first pick due to powerful offensive and defensive stats and a big enough move pool to give you many options. Mudkip has a big type advantage compared to its peers during the 11th, 3rd and 4th gym battles. 

You can use STAB early in the game, which gives you an edge over your opponent in the mid-game. When facing off against Team Magma, it has a clear type advantage. When challenging the sixth gym, you can use Ice Beam to deal with the flying type.

While it’s at a disadvantage when facing grass-type opponents, you can still do some things to salvage the situation, like using flying-type attacks like Swallow. Ice Beam can be your last trump card when facing Grass-types. 

In short, Mudkip comes out as the top pick due to its high power and usefulness in the game’s early stages. 

Torchic

In the second place, we have Torchic. It comes with a dual typing of Fire and Fighting type. During the early stages of Pokemon Emerald, it will face many challenges. You can clear the Rock-type fist gym with a double kick, but there is also a greater chance of instant knockout against Rock-type attacks, which are more effective against this little guy. 

A similar problem also persists in the third gym. It’s an electric type Magneton and Torchic doesn’t fare well against electric type moves. While you can also clear this with a Double Kick, that is only possible if the Magneton doesn’t shatter your paper-like defence. 

The biggest problem with Torchic is that it is like a glass cannon. While it can dish out powerful attacks, it doesn’t have good defensive stats to tank the attacks of its opponents. So, you will always be in danger of getting KO’d.

However, Suppose you don’t mind struggling in the initial phase of the game to prepare for a powerful monster in future. In that case, Torchic will be a powerful asset in future, and you’ll be able to wipe out many teams single-handedly. 

Treecko

While Treecko is a strong Pokemon, it can’t compare to its competitors in the Hoenn region. It has high enough attack and speed stats. Its Leaf Blade is a useful STAB move which is useful in many different scenarios. 

Treecko also has a type advantage against the first and third gyms due to their Rock and eclectic typing. You will also have an advantage when facing Water-type champion Wallace. 

But the real trouble starts appearing after the mid-game. As you start facing Fire-type and Flying-type opponents, Treecko will have to stay out most of the time. In Later stages of the game, we start to see its weaknesses of being a grass-only-type Pokemon.

In Gen 3, Leaf Blade only has a base power of 70. So, you will feel like it’s getting weaker as you progress further in the game. 

When comparing it to its peers, Mudkip has an advantage in the early stages of the game, and Torchic will prove to be useful in the late stages of the game. But Treecko doesn’t seem to have any clear advantage. Therefore, I have no choice but to put it in the third spot. 

Stats

Mudkip stats

Mudkip is the slowest among the three, and the same is the case for its evolution, Swampert. This makes it vulnerable to quick deaths. So, always keep your moves handy, or you will have lost before you know it. 

However, it can tank some initial hits due to balanced offensive and defensive stats, so try to land some powerful hits during this time. Furthermore, Mudkip has good HP growth, so surviving one or two hits is not a big deal. 

Torchic stats

Torchic is not as balanced as Mudkip. It’s strong on the offensive side with High Attack and Sp. Attack stats. So, it is excellent at taking huge chunks of HP out of your opponents with physical and special damage.

However, It is a glass cannon because of the low HP, Defence, Sp. Defence and Speed. So, your best bet would be to knock out your opponents with the first hit while trying to survive that initial strike. 

Treecko Stats

Treecko is the fastest among the three of them, and the same can be said for its evolution, Sceptile. It can’t take many hits due to low HP, Sp. Defense and Defense. Therefore, the best strategy is to quickly take out your opponent (If possible, try to go for a one-hit KO). 

You will be the first to land the hits most of the time unless your opponent uses priority moves. 

Moves

Mudkip moves

After levelling up your Mudkip, you can evolve it into Swampert. It is a dual-type Pokemon with Water and Ground type, so you can teach it many water-type and ground-type moves. The unique thing about Mudkip is that it is the only one among three who can use Ice-type moves. 

Surf is a popular skill among many players. It can deal good damage and also get handy outside. Later, Pairing it up with an Earthquake move will give you a tank which can also dish out powerful damage. 

Torchic moves

Torchic can be evolved into Blaziken which has dual attributes of Fighting and Fire type. Most of the moves it can learn are offensive due to its typing. Moreover, this combo also makes it capable of doing damage with both physical attacks and special attacks. 

Some Flying-type moves are just like a cherry on top. So, this chicken can also fly and also have some decent moves.

Treecko moves

Treecko is the only single-type Pokemon among the three. It starts as grass-type and also remains grass-type only even after its final evolution. However, all the moves it can use are not Grass-type. It can also use a Dragon-type move called Dragon Claw. 

Trecko can be evolved into Sceptile and it can learn a lot of grass-type moves. Moreover, Its moves are also balanced in terms of offence and buffs.  

Conclusion

Overall, there is no single best starter Pokemon in Pokemon Emerald; it all depends on which playstyle you feel comfortable with and adapt quickly. So, it all boils down to how you can use the abilities of your Pokemon to your advantage during the battle. 

When building your party, it’s important to choose other Pokemon that complement your starter Pokemon because most players will not remove their starter Pokemon. 

Those who like to take their opponents by surprise will be tempted to go with Trecko. But, in later stages of the game it can prove to be less effective due to the single typing. 

If you want a Pokemon that packs a punch with every hit and quickly knocks out your enemies, then Torchis is the best option. Initially, you will have to work on levelling it up, but it will be very useful in the game’s later stages.

Mudkip would be the best choice for most people due to its balanced stats. While it can’t keep up to its peers in terms of speed, it can take more damage and give the opponents a smack when the time comes. It’s also easier to use for those who have just started playing Pokemon games.